Love is generally confused with dependence; but in point of fact, you can love only in proportion to your capacity for independence.
Rollo MayRead
Every being has the need not only to be but to affirm his own being. This is especially significant for the human organism, for it is gifted with, or condemned to, self-consciousness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the intrinsic human desire for self-affirmation and the significance of self-consciousness in defining one's existence.
Rollo May's quote explores the fundamental human need to not just exist, but to actively affirm and understand one's own identity. It highlights the unique position of humans, who possess self-consciousness, which compels them to seek validation and meaning in their lives, pushing them to engage in a continuous journey of self-discovery and affirmation.
Themes
Self-AffirmationSelf-ConsciousnessIdentityExistenceHuman Condition
In practice
Example use cases
In a personal development seminar to emphasize the importance of self-acceptance.
More from Rollo May
All quotes →To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive - to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment, and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before
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Beauty is the experience that gives us a sense of joy and a sense of peace simultaneously.
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The poet, like the lover, is a menace on the assembly line.
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