I believe in nothing here, except a handful of people, a few ideas, and the fact that one cannot arrest movement.
Alexander HerzenRead
I am truly horrified by modern man. Such absence of feeling, such narrowness of outlook, such lack of passion and information, such feebleness of thought.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Herzen expresses deep concern about the emotional and intellectual deficiencies of modern society.
In this quote, Alexander Herzen articulates his dismay at what he perceives as the emotional and intellectual shortcomings of contemporary individuals. He critiques the lack of depth in people's feelings, the narrowness in their perspectives, and the overall weakness in their thinking, implying that these traits contribute to a diminished human experience in the modern world.
Themes
ModernityHuman ConditionIntellectual DeficiencyEmotional DepthCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about societal values, this quote can be used to emphasize the need for deeper emotional and intellectual engagement.
More from Alexander Herzen
All quotes βUnaware of the absurdity of it, we introduce our own petty household rules into the economy of the universe for which the life of generations, peoples, of entire planets, has no importance in relation to the general development.
Alexander HerzenRead
False gods must be repudiated, but that is not all: The reasons for their existence must be sought beneath their masks.
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History is the autobiography of a madman.
Alexander HerzenRead
Every man who has lived for fifty years has buried a whole world or even two; he has grown used to its disappearance and accustomed to the new scenery of another act: but suddenly the names and faces of a time long dead appear more and more often on his way, calling up series of shades and pictures kept somewhere, "just in case," in the endless catacombs of the memory, making him smile or sigh, and sometimes almost weep.
Alexander HerzenRead
There is nothing in the world more stubborn than a corpse: you can hit it, you can knock it to pieces, but you cannot convince it.
Alexander HerzenRead
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