Man, in spite of his fatal degradation, bears always the evident marks of his divine origin, in that every universal belief is always more or less true.
Joseph De MaistreRead
There is no man who desires as passionately as a Russian. If we could imprison a Russian desire beneath a fortress, that fortress would explode.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the intense desires of Russians, suggesting they are unparalleled in their passion.
Joseph De Maistre illustrates the depth and intensity of human desire, particularly among Russians, by suggesting that it is so fierce that even if constrained, it would inevitably break free with explosive force. This metaphor highlights the universal struggle between desire and restraint, suggesting that such powerful passions are inherently uncontrollable.
In practice
In a psychology lecture discussing the nature of desire and its implications on human behavior.
Man, in spite of his fatal degradation, bears always the evident marks of his divine origin, in that every universal belief is always more or less true.
Man is insatiable for power; he is infantile in his desires and, always discontented with what he has, loves only what he has not. People complain of the despotism of princes; they ought to complain of the despotism of man.
A constitution that is made for all nations is made for none.
False opinions are like false money, struck first of all by guilty men and thereafter circulated by honest people who perpetuate the crime without knowing what they are doing.
Reason speaks in words alone, but love has a song.
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.
Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.
...mathematics is distinguished from all other sciences except only ethics, in standing in no need of ethics. Every other science, even logic, especially in its early stages, is in danger of evaporating into airy nothingness, degenerating, as the Germans say, into an arachnoid film, spun from the stuff that dreams are made of. There is no such danger for pure mathematics; for that is precisely what mathematics ought to be.
I think that God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability.
Philosophy is a kind of journey, ever learning yet never arriving at the ideal perfection of truth.
The soul...is audible, not visible.
Death is not the greatest of evils; it is worse to want to die, and not be able to.
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