O suffering, sad humanity! O ye afflicted ones, who lie Steeped to the lips in misery, Longing, yet afraid to die, Patient, though sorely tried!
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Whenever nature leaves a hole in a person's mind, she generally plasters it over with a thick coat of self-conceit.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that when people have gaps in their knowledge or understanding, they often compensate with an inflated sense of self-worth.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow implies that individuals tend to cover up their insecurities and lack of knowledge with a facade of confidence and self-importance. This behavior reflects a common psychological tendency where insecurities lead to an increased emphasis on self-esteem, obscuring one's true limitations and gaps in understanding.
Themes
Self-ConceitNatureInsecurityConfidenceKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
During a workshop on personal development, one could use this quote to illustrate the dangers of overinflated self-esteem.
More from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
All quotes →There are moments in life, when the heart is so full of emotion That if by chance it be shaken, or into its depths like a pebble Drops some careless word, it overflows, and its secret, Spilt on the ground like water, can never be gathered together.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
To be seventy years old is like climbing the Alps. You reach a snow-crowned summit, and see behind you the deep valley stretching miles and miles away, and before you other summits higher and whiter, which you may have strength to climb, or may not. Then you sit down and meditate and wonder which it will be.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
God is not dead; nor doth He sleep; ... _x000D_ The wrong shall fail,_x000D_ The right prevail,_x000D_ With peace on earth, good will to men.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
In the long run men hit only what they aim at.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
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