Like the collector, the photographer is animated by a passion that, even when it appears to be for the present, is linked to a sense of the past.
Susan SontagRead
The becoming of man is the history of the exhaustion of his possibilities.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that as humans grow and evolve, they deplete their potential and options over time.
Susan Sontag's quote reflects on the trajectory of human existence, positing that the journey of becoming a fully realized person is intertwined with the gradual exhaustivity of our choices and possibilities. It suggests that with each decision we make or each path we take, we are limiting ourselves to certain outcomes while simultaneously exploring and realizing our true potential. The history of a person's life, then, is not just a chronicle of achievements but also a reflection on the paths not taken and the potential that fades as we age and grow.
Themes
PossibilitiesHistoryManExhaustionPotential
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal growth and choices.
More from Susan Sontag
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Volume depends precisely on the writer's having been able to sit in a room every day, year after year, alone.
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In NY sensuality completely turns into sexuality - no objects for the senses to respond to, no beautiful river, houses, people. Awful smells of the street, and dirt... Nothing except eating, if that, and the frenzy of the bed.
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It hurts to love. It's like giving yourself to be flayed and knowing that at any moment the other person may just walk off with your skin.
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