The reason why all men honor love is because it looks up, and not down; aspires and not despairs.
Ralph Waldo EmersonRead
To love in the sense of passion-love is the contrary of to live. It is an impoverishment of one's being, an askesis without sequel, an inability to enjoy the present without imagining it as absent, a never-ending flight from possession.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True passion can sometimes lead to a depletion of present enjoyment, creating a longing for what is absent.
In this quote, Denis De Rougemont explores the idea that passionate love can consume an individual's entire being, leading to a state of lacking fulfillment in the present moment. This form of love, rather than enhancing life, often diminishes it by instilling a sense of perpetual longing and an inability to fully appreciate what one has, as the mind continuously retreats into fantasies of unattained desires.
Themes
LovePassionPresentLongingEnjoyment
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about romantic relationships and the nature of passion.
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