If a victory is told in detail, one can no longer distinguish it from a defeat.
Jean-Paul SartreRead
One could only damage oneself through the harm one did to others. One could never get directly at oneself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our actions towards others ultimately reflect back on ourselves, impacting our own well-being and integrity.
This quote by Jean-Paul Sartre emphasizes the interconnection between individuals and their actions. It suggests that causing harm to others not only affects them but also damages the perpetrator's own moral and emotional state. In essence, it highlights how our ethical conduct shapes our identity and personal integrity.
Themes
HarmSelfOthersConsequencesMoralityIntegrity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethics, one might reference this quote to illustrate the importance of considering how our actions affect others.
More from Jean-Paul Sartre
All quotes βAll I want is' - and he uttered the final words through clenched teeth and with a sort of shame - 'to retain my freedom.' I should myself have thought,' said Jacques, 'that freedom consisted in frankly confronting situations into which one had deliberately entered, and accepting all one's responsibilities. But that, no doubt, is not your view.
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If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company.
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A kiss without a moustache, they said then, is like an egg without salt; I will add to it: and it is like Good without Evil.
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I wanted pure love: foolishness; to love one another is to hate a common enemy: I will thus espouse your hatred. I wanted Good: nonsense; on this earth and in these times, Good and Bad are inseparable: I accept to be evil in order to become good.
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Night is falling: at dusk, you must have good eyesight to be able to tell the Good Lord from the Devil.
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