Love is generally confused with dependence; but in point of fact, you can love only in proportion to your capacity for independence.
Rollo MayRead
Terrorism and the whole drug scene are vivid examples of the fact that what persons abhor most of all in life is the possibility that they will not matter.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the human fear of insignificance and how negative behaviors stem from a desire to feel important.
Rollo May suggests that terrorism and drug culture are extreme manifestations of a deeper psychological issue: the fear of not mattering or being significant in the world. This highlights a universal human desire for relevance, and the lengths to which individuals may go to assert their existence and importance, even in destructive ways. It prompts a reflection on how the longing for acknowledgment can lead to devastating choices.
Themes
TerrorismDrugsSignificanceMeaningExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the roots of terrorism, this quote could be used to illustrate the psychological motivations behind such actions.
More from Rollo May
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Humor is the healthy way of feeling "distance" between one's self and the problem, a way of standing off and looking at one's problem with perspective.
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Beauty is the experience that gives us a sense of joy and a sense of peace simultaneously.
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The poet, like the lover, is a menace on the assembly line.
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Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind of feeling that goes with creativity. That's why I say the courage to create. Creation does not come out of simply what you're born with. That must be united with your courage, both of which cause anxiety, but also great joy.
Rollo MayRead
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