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
The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being human means embracing imperfection rather than striving for unattainable perfection.
This quote by George Orwell highlights a fundamental aspect of the human experience: our acceptance of flaws and imperfections. It suggests that the search for perfection can lead to dissatisfaction and that true humanity lies in recognizing and accepting our limitations, which fosters growth, empathy, and connection with others.
Themes
HumanImperfectionAcceptanceGrowthFlaws
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about self-acceptance, one might use this quote to remind the audience that nobody is perfect.
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.
George OrwellRead
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.
George OrwellRead
Not to expose your true feelings to an adult seems to be instinctive from the age of seven or eight onwards.
George OrwellRead
As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents.
George OrwellRead
It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.
George OrwellRead
Similar quotes
Christian life means sacrifice.
Pope John XxiiiRead
The truth is humbling, terrifying, and often exhilarating. It blows the doors off the hinges and fills the world with fresh air.
Augusten BurroughsRead
Not only is the past of a person with no memory inaccessible; his ability to think about the future is imperilled. Time travel, then, is ultimately - and paradoxically - an exercise in remembering. And without that capacity it simply cannot exist.
Maria KonnikovaRead
I know this is insane, but i somehow wish i had been in auschwitz with my parents so i could really know what they lived through! I guess it's some kind of guilt about having had an easier life than they did.
Art SpiegelmanRead
What's left is palimpsest—one memory bleeding into another, overwriting it.
Natasha TretheweyRead
For a while in my teens, I was sure I had it. It was about getting to heaven. If heaven existed and lasted forever, then a mere lifetime spent scrupulously following orders was a small investment for an infinite payoff. One day, though, I realized I was no longer a believer, and realizing that, I couldn't go back.
Alan AldaRead