QuoteProject
When a condition or a problem becomes too great, humans have the protection of not thinking about it. But it goes inward and minces up with a lot of other things already there and what comes out is discontent and uneasiness, guilt and a compulsion to get something--anything--before it is all gone.
John Steinbeck
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Humans often avoid confronting overwhelming problems, leading to inner turmoil and discontent.

This quote by John Steinbeck reflects on the human tendency to subconsciously suppress overwhelming emotions or issues. When individuals face significant challenges, instead of tackling these problems directly, they often push them aside, causing a buildup of anxiety, guilt, and a compulsive drive to seek fulfillment or distraction, which ultimately leads to feelings of dissatisfaction and unrest.

Themes

DiscontentUneasinessSuppressionProblemsHuman Nature

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about mental health, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of addressing our problems rather than ignoring them.

More from John Steinbeck

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
At one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
John SteinbeckRead
And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
John SteinbeckRead
The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
John SteinbeckRead
People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
John SteinbeckRead
It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
John SteinbeckRead

Similar quotes

Every institution not only carries within it the seeds of its own dissolution, but prepares the way for its most hated rival.
William Ralph IngeRead
In some ways I feel sorry for racists and for religious fanatics, because they so much miss the point of being human, and deserve a sort of pity. But then I harden my heart, and decide to hate them all the more, because of the misery they inflict and because of the contemptible excuses they advance for doing so.
Christopher HitchensRead
Where books are burned in the end people will be burned too.
Heinrich HeineRead
People often ask me how I feel about my invention being used to kill people every day and the AK being a common weapon of ethnic conflicts. I want to make it clear that I created my assault rifle to protect my country. You can blame politicians for its spreading out of control on a global scale.
Mikhail KalashnikovRead
Whatever government is not a government of laws, is a despotism, let it be called what it may.
Daniel WebsterRead
The human heart is the first home of democracy. It is where we embrace our questions: Can we be equitable? Can we be generous? Can we listen with our whole beings, not just our minds, and offer our attention rather than our opinion? And do we have enough resolve in our hearts to act courageously, relentlessly, without giving up, trusting our fellow citizens to join us in our determined pursuit-a living democracy?
Terry Tempest WilliamsRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.