Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
Man lives consciously for himself, but is an unconscious instrument in the attainment of the historic, universal, aims of humanity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Each individual pursues personal goals while contributing unknowingly to the greater goals of humanity.
In this quote, Leo Tolstoy expresses the dual nature of human existence, suggesting that individuals often focus on their own lives and aspirations, yet in doing so, they also play a part in the broader narrative of human progress. This reflects a tension between personal agency and the collective movements of society, implying that our personal successes and struggles contribute to the shared journey of humanity without our conscious awareness.
Themes
HumanityConsciousnessIndividualCollectivePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community service, one might use this quote to highlight how individual efforts contribute to societal progress.
More from Leo Tolstoy
All quotes βPierre looked into the sky, into the depths of the retreating, twinkling stars. "And all this is mine, and all this is in me, and all this is me!" thought Pierre. "And all this they've caught and put in a shed and boarded it up!
Leo TolstoyRead
People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing-refusing to participate in activities that make life bad.
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It's too easy to criticize a man when he's out of favour, and to make him shoulder the blame for everybody else's mistakes.
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Music is the shorthand of emotion. Emotions, which let themselves be described in words with such difficulty, are directly conveyed to man in music, and in that is its power and significance.
Leo TolstoyRead
A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor β such is my idea of happiness.
Leo TolstoyRead
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