How prone poor Humanity is to dam up the minutest remnants of its freedom, and build an artificial roof to prevent it looking up to the clear blue sky.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on humanity's tendency to limit its own freedoms and aspirations through self-imposed constraints.
E. T. A. Hoffmann's quote suggests that people often restrict their own freedoms by creating artificial barriers. These barriers prevent them from reaching for higher aspirations and understanding the broader world around them, symbolized by the 'clear blue sky.' It implies a critique of how society or individuals may confine themselves and miss the potential for greater freedom and enlightenment.
In practice
During a motivational speech about self-limiting beliefs.
Why should not a writer be permitted to make use of the levers of fear, terror and horror because some feeble soul here and there finds it more than it can bear? Shall there be no strong meat at table because there happen to be some guests there whose stomachs are weak, or who have spoiled their own digestions?
The judge is not the knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideal of beauty or of goodness.
The Hindu religions gave me the impression of a vast well into which one plunges in order to grasp the reflection of the sun.
As for the men in power, they are so anxious to establish the myth of infallibility that they do their utmost to ignore truth.
I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long... Looking back on it, I feel I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three city districts. We Marines operated on three continents.
I don't think any of us really knows why we're here. But I think we're supposed to believe we're here for a purpose.
The most sublime truth of all has never been stated or written or sung. Not because it is far away and can not be reached, but because it is so intimately close, closer than anything that can be spoken. It is alive as the stillness in the core of your being, too close to be described, too close to be objectified, too close to be known in the usual way of knowledge. The truth of who you are is yours already. It is already present.
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