In a consumer society there are inevitably two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy.
Ivan IllichRead
Health is not an objective condition which can be understood by the methods of natural science alone. It is rather a condition related to the mental attitude by which the individual has to value what is essential for his life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Health is influenced not just by physical conditions but also by one's mental perspective on what is important in life.
In this quote, Ivan Illich emphasizes that health extends beyond just physical or medical aspects; it involves a deeper connection to one's mental attitude and values. He suggests that how a person perceives and values essential aspects of life plays a crucial role in their overall well-being, indicating that health is a holistic concept intertwined with mental and emotional attitudes.
Themes
HealthMental AttitudeWell-BeingValuesEssential
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about holistic wellness, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of a positive mindset in promoting health.
More from Ivan Illich
All quotes →School is the advertising agency which makes you believe that you need the society as it is.
Ivan IllichRead
School prepares for the alienating institutionalization of life by teaching the need to be taught. Once this lesson is learned, people lose their incentive to grow in independence; they no longer find relatedness attractive, and close themselves off to the surprises which life offers when it is not predetermined by institutional definition.
Ivan IllichRead
The pupil is ... 'schooled' to confuse teaching with learning, grade advancement with education, a diploma with competence, and fluency with the ability to say something new.
Ivan IllichRead
The myth of unending consumption has taken the place of the belief in life everlasting.
Ivan IllichRead
Effective health care depends on self-care; this fact is currently heralded as if it were a discovery.
Ivan IllichRead
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