Without a global revolution in the sphere of human consciousness a more humane society will not emerge.
Man is a part of the world, and his spirit is part of the spirit of the world. We are merely a peculiar mode of Being, a living atom within it, or, rather, a cell that, if sufficiently open to itself and its own mystery, can also experience the mystery, the will, the pain, and the hope of the world.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the deep connection between humanity and the world, highlighting our shared experiences and existence.
Vaclav Havel’s quote reflects on the intricate relationship between humans and the universe, suggesting that each individual is both a unique entity and a component of a greater whole. By acknowledging our interconnectedness, we can tap into the collective experiences of existence, encompassing both joy and suffering, as well as the deeper mysteries of life. This perspective encourages self-awareness and a deeper understanding of our place within the vast tapestry of life.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about climate change, one might say, 'As Vaclav Havel noted, man is a part of the world, reminding us to care for our planet as we are intricately connected to it.'
More from Vaclav Havel
All quotes →Ownership is not a vice, not something to be ashamed of, but rather a commitment, and an instrument by which the general good can be served.
In my opinion, theater shouldn't give advice to citizens.
Sometimes I wonder if suicides aren't in fact sad guardians of the meaning of life.
The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more so because these worlds are never divided by a sharp line: everyone has a small part of himself in both.
Human rights, human freedoms... and human dignity have their deepest roots somewhere outside the perceptible world... while the state is a human creation, human beings are the creation of God.
Similar quotes
The fact is, that what de Sade was trying to bring to the surface of the conscious mind was precisely the thing that revolted that mind . . . From the very first he set before the consciousness things which it could not tolerate.
Western liberal humanism is not something that comes naturally to us: like an appreciation of art or poetry, it has to be cultivated. Humanism is itself a religion without God-not all religions, of course, are theistic. Our ethical secular ideal has it's own disciplines of mind and heart and gives people the means of finding faith in the ultimate meaning of human life that were once provided by the more conventional religions.
The world is ruled only by consideration of advantages.
For life is tendency, and the essence of a tendency is to develop in the form of a sheaf, creating, by its very growth, divergent directions among which its impetus is divided.
The concept of progress must be grounded in the idea of catastrophe. That things are 'status quo' is the catastrophe
Diabolical error decks itself out with ease in lying colors with some appearance of truth, so that the force of pronouncement is corrupted by a very brief addition or change, and the confession of faith which should have resulted in salvation, by a subtle transition leads to death!