No further evidence is needed to show that 'mental illness' is not the name of a biological condition whose nature awaits to be elucidated, but is the name of a concept whose purpose is to obscure the obvious.
Thomas SzaszRead
Adulthood is the ever-shrinking period between childhood and old age. It is the apparent aim of modern industrial societies to reduce this period to a minimum.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on how adulthood is fleeting, especially in today's fast-paced society.
Thomas Szasz's quote emphasizes the brevity of adulthood in contrast to childhood and old age, suggesting that contemporary industrial societies prioritize efficiency and productivity, which in turn minimizes the time spent in the adult phase of life. This notion raises questions about the value and experience of adulthood amid societal pressures and expectations.
Themes
AdulthoodChildhoodSocietyTimeIndustrial
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about embracing adulthood without losing the childlike wonder, one might quote Szasz.
More from Thomas Szasz
All quotes βClassifying thoughts, feelings and behaviors as diseases is a logical and semantic error, like classifying whale as fish.
Thomas SzaszRead
Addiction, obesity, starvation (anorexia nervosa) are political problems, not psychiatric: each condense and expresses a contest between the individual and some other person or persons in his environment over the control of the individual's body.
Thomas SzaszRead
In the past, men created witches: now they create mental patients.
Thomas SzaszRead
Self-respect is to the soul as oxygen is to the body. Deprive a person of oxygen, and you kill his body; deprive him of self-respect and you kill his spirit.
Thomas SzaszRead
The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.
Thomas SzaszRead
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