If one harbours anywhere in one's mind a nationalistic loyalty or hatred, certain facts, although in a sense known to be true, are inadmissible.
George OrwellRead
His whole mind and body seemed to be afflicted with an unbearable sensitivity, a sort of transparency, which made every movement, every sound, every contact, every word that he had to speak or listen to, an agony. Even in sleep he could not altogether escape form her image.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the deep emotional and physical discomfort caused by intense sensitivity towards one's surroundings and relationships.
The quote reflects on the profound effects of emotional vulnerability and sensitivity, illustrating how every interaction and sensation can feel overwhelming. It conveys the idea that such heightened awareness can lead to a state of perpetual distress, capturing the struggle of feeling acutely aware and affected by one's environment and the people within it, to the point of agony.
Themes
SensitivityAnguishVulnerabilityEmotionsRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about emotional health at a mental wellness seminar.
More from George Orwell
All quotes →The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
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Political writing in our time consists almost entirely of prefabricated phrases bolted together like the pieces of a child's Meccano set. It is the unavoidable result of self-censorship. To write in plain, vigorous language one has to think fearlessly, and if one thinks fearlessly one cannot be politically orthodox.
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Not to expose your true feelings to an adult seems to be instinctive from the age of seven or eight onwards.
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As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents.
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It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.
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