QuoteProject
Man, by his very nature, tends to give himself an explanation of the world into which he is born. And this is what distinguishes him from the other species. Every individual, even the least intelligent, the lowest of outcasts, from childhood on gives himself some explanation of the world. And with it he manages to live. And without it, he would sink into madness.
Elsa Morante
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Humans seek to understand their existence and the world around them, which is essential for mental stability.

This quote by Elsa Morante emphasizes the innate human drive to interpret and make sense of the world. It suggests that every individual, regardless of their intelligence or social status, crafts personal explanations of their reality as a means to cope with life. Morante posits that this quest for understanding is what prevents humanity from descending into chaos or madness, highlighting the fundamental role of self-explanation in human psychology.

Themes

Human NatureUnderstandingExistenceMental StabilitySelf-Explanation

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a philosophical discussion about the nature of human consciousness.

More from Elsa Morante

So much of the news was invented for propaganda.
Elsa MoranteRead

Similar quotes

Man in harmony with his Creator is sublime, and his action is creative; equally, once he separates himself from God and acts alone, he does not cease to be powerful, since this is the privilege of his nature, but his acts are negative and lead only to destruction.
Joseph De MaistreRead
A weakened mind always sees everything through a black veil. The soul makes its own horizons; your soul is dark, which is why you see such a cloudy sky.
Alexandre DumasRead
We should not say that one man's hour is worth another man's hour, but rather that one man during an hour is worth just as much as another man during an hour. Time is everything, man is nothing: he is at the most time's carcass.
Karl MarxRead
What then in the last resort are the truths of mankind? They are the irrefutable errors of mankind.
Friedrich NietzscheRead
Latter-day Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of God. . . . We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see
Boyd K. PackerRead
Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short and long, life and death? Can you let go of all these dualities and embrace the Tao without skepticism or panic? If so, you can reach the heart of the Integral Oneness.
LaoziRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.