I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.
Khalil GibranRead
Perhaps a man may commit suicide in self-defense.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that sometimes, drastic decisions, like suicide, can be seen as a means of self-preservation in extreme circumstances.
Khalil Gibran's quote touches upon the complex and often troubling idea of self-defense, extending it to the realm of mental and emotional struggles. It implies that there are states of suffering so profound that one might view the act of ending one’s life as a necessary escape from unbearable pain, thus framing it within the context of self-defense rather than mere tragedy.
Themes
SuicideSelf-DefensePainStruggleExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a mental health awareness seminar discussing the extremes of emotional suffering.
More from Khalil Gibran
All quotes →Be patient, for it is from doubt that knowledge is born.
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Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.
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God made Truth with many doors to welcome every believer who knocks on them.
Khalil GibranRead
Happiness is a vine that takes root and grows within the heart, never outside it.
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Solitude has soft, silky hands, but with strong fingers it grasps the heart and makes it ache with sorrow.
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