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Touch. It is touch that is the deadliest enemy of chastity, loyalty, monogamy, gentility with its codes and conventions and restraints. By touch we are betrayed and betray others ... an accidental brushing of shoulders or touching of hands ... hands laid on shoulders in a gesture of comfort that lies like a thief, that takes, not gives, that wants, not offers, that awakes, not pacifies. When one flesh is waiting, there is electricity in the merest contact.
Wallace Stegner
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Touch can lead to betrayal of loyalty and purity in relationships.

This quote by Wallace Stegner explores the complex nature of physical touch in human relationships. It suggests that touch, while often seen as an expression of affection or comfort, can also undermine chastity, loyalty, and emotional integrity, creating a conflict between desire and commitment. The idea that even the slightest contact can elicit strong emotions indicates a deeper tension inherent in human connections.

Themes

TouchRelationshipsBetrayalLoyaltyEmotions

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be shared during a discussion about the complexities of romantic relationships at a relationship seminar.

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