Man's greatness is great in that he knows himself wretched. A tree does not know itself wretched. It is then being wretched to know oneself wretched; but it is being great to know that one is wretched.
Blaise PascalRead
But that night as I drove back to Montreal, I at least discovered this: that there is no simple explanation for anything important any of us do, and that the human tragedy, or the human irony, consists in the necessity of living with the consequences of actions performed under the pressure of compulsions so obscure we do not and cannot understand them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the complexity of human actions and the challenges of understanding their motivations and consequences.
Hugh Maclennan's quote delves into the intricate nature of human behavior, suggesting that our actions are often driven by obscure motivations that we may not fully comprehend. This lack of understanding leads to a human tragedy or irony, where individuals must confront the outcomes of their actions, despite not grasping the forces that compelled them. It highlights the mystery of human psychology and the burdens that come from our choices.
Themes
Human BehaviorConsequencesUnderstandingMotivationComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the unpredictability of life choices.
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