Full circle. A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever. I am legend.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on the themes of death and immortality, suggesting a circle of existence that gives rise to new fears and beliefs.
In this quote, Richard Matheson explores the complex relationship between death and the human experience. It implies that death not only ends life but also instills new fears and superstitions in those left behind, creating a cycle of existence where the legacy of the deceased continues to intimidate and haunt. The phrase 'I am legend' emphasizes the ongoing impact of those who have passed, potentially transforming them into enduring symbols of fear or reverence.
In practice
In a speech about overcoming fears, one might reference this quote to discuss how death shapes our beliefs.
…They think of suicide as a quick route to oblivion, an escape. Far from it. It merely alters a person from one form to another. Nothing can destroy the spirit. Suicide only precipitates a darker continuation of the same conditions from which escape was sought. A condition under circumstances so much more painful.
The empty blue sky of space says 'All this comes back to me, then goes again, and comes back again, then goes again, and I don't care, it still belongs to me
It is very important to be aware that you may never be satistied with your analytic career if you feel that you are restricted to what is narrowly called a ‘scientific’ approach. You will have to be able to have a chance of feeling that the interpretation you give is a beautiful one, or that you get a beautiful response from the patient. This aesthetic element of beauty makes a very difficult situation tolerable.
The dice of God are always loaded.
If I was freer than I had ever been in my life, I was not yet entirely free, for I still hung on to an idea that had been set deep in me by all my schooling so far: I was a bright boy and I ought to make something out of myself... something else that would be a cut or two above my humble origins.
My advanced age has taught me the resignation of being Borges.
Repentance is simply giving up to stop fighting against God and to stop attempting to gain your own salvation through your own works; to literally give up and fall upon Christ. That is salvation.
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