The idea of some people being less than people is poison to any society and needs to be named as such in order to halt its spread before it turns the soul of a society septic.
Richard FlanaganRead
Is it easier for a man to live his life again as a fish, than to accept the wonder of being human? So alone, so frightened, so wanting for what we are afraid to give tongue to.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the complexity and fear of human existence compared to a simpler life as a fish.
Richard Flanagan's quote contrasts the simplicity of living as a fish with the profound challenges of human life. It suggests that humans often fear the emotional depth and vulnerability that come with being fully alive, leading them to long for a more uncomplicated existence. The quote invites reflection on the beauty and struggles of human experience, emphasizing how accepting our humanity can bring both wonder and trepidation.
Themes
LifeHumanityAcceptanceWonderFear
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about embracing our fears and challenges.
More from Richard Flanagan
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My father was a Japanese prisoner of war, a survivor of the Thai-Burma Death Railway, built by a quarter of a million slave labourers in 1943. Between 100,000 and 200,000 died.
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If 30 Australians drowned in Sydney Harbour, it would be a national tragedy. But when 30 or more refugees drown off the Australian coast, it is a political question.
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I do not share the pessimism of the age about the novel. They are one of our greatest spiritual, aesthetic and intellectual inventions. As a species it is story that distinguishes us, and one of the supreme expressions of story is the novel. Novels are not content. Nor are they are a mirror to life or an explanation of life or a guide to life. Novels are life, or they are nothing.
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After writing a novel, what is there to say? If a novelist could say it in a maxim, they wouldn't need 120,000 words, several years and sundry characters, plots and subplots, and so on. I'd much rather listen always.
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