Some deny the existence of misery by pointing to the sun; he denies the existence of the sun by pointing to misery.
Franz KafkaRead
Suffering is the positive element in this world, indeed it is the only link between this world and the positive.
Interpretation
Suffering connects us to the positive aspects of life and reality.
Franz Kafka's quote suggests that suffering is not merely a negative experience but a crucial component of existence that ties us to the positive elements of life. It emphasizes that through suffering, we can appreciate joy, growth, and the deeper meanings of our experiences, recognizing that adversity often leads to strength and understanding.
In practice
In a speech about resilience, one might use this quote to illustrate how challenges lead to personal growth.
Some deny the existence of misery by pointing to the sun; he denies the existence of the sun by pointing to misery.
One can disintegrate the world by means of very strong light. For weak eyes the world becomes solid, for still weaker eyes it seems to develop fists, for eyes weaker still it becomes shamefaced and smashes anyone who dares to gaze upon it.
But Gregor understood easily that it was not only consideration for him which prevented their moving, for he could easily have been transported in a suitable crate with a few air holes; what mainly prevented the family from moving was their complete hopelessness and the thought that they had been struck by a misfortune as none of their relatives and acquaintances had ever been hit.
Association with human beings lures one into self-observation.
A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity.
The ulterior motives with which you absorb and assimilate Evil are not your own but those of Evil. _x000D_ The animal wrests the whip from its master and whips itself in order to become master, not knowing that this is only a fantasy produced by a new knot in the master's whiplash.
We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a triumph, to turn one's predicament into a human achievement. When we are no longer able to change a situation-just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer-we are challenged to change ourselves.
You have no idea how fragile an actor's self-worth is.
It was all a matter of control. And Choice. Nothing more, nothing less
Remarkably, governments are beginning to embrace the idea that nothing enhances democracy more than giving voice and information to everybody in the country. Why not open their books if they have nothing to hide?
I shared a vagrant optimism that some of us were making real progress, that we had taken an honest road, and that the best of us would inevitably make it over the top. At the same time, I felt that the life we were leading was a lost cause, that we were all actor, kidding ourselves on a senseless odyssey. It was the tension between those two poles - a restless idealism on one hand and a sense of impending doom on the other - that kept me going.
The slave-breeders and slave-traders, are a small, odious and detested class, among you; and yet in politics, they dictate the course of all of you, and are as completely your masters, as you are the master of your own negroes.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.