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Men seem to be born with a debt they can never pay no matter how hard they try.
John Steinbeck
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that humans carry an inherent burden or obligation that is impossible to fully resolve.

John Steinbeck’s quote reflects on the existential burdens that individuals face throughout their lives. It suggests that no matter the efforts one makes to alleviate the pressures and debts of existence—such as societal expectations, personal aspirations, or moral responsibilities—there remains an inescapable debt that is part of the human condition. This concept evokes feelings of sympathy and understanding about the complexities of life and the struggles that are universal among all people.

Themes

DebtStruggleHuman ConditionExistenceObligation

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the struggles of modern life, this quote can highlight the burdens people feel.

More from John Steinbeck

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
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At one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
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And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
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The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
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People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
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It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
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