Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?
John KeatsRead
Who would wish to be among the commonplace crowd of the little famous - who are each individually lost in a throng made up of themselves?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a disdain for mediocrity and a desire for individuality amid conformity.
In this quote, John Keats questions the value of being part of a large group of people who are only famous in a trivial sense. He suggests that these individuals, while recognized, are ultimately lost in their sameness, and he advocates for striving to stand out as unique rather than blending into the ordinary crowd.
Themes
IndividualityFameMediocrityConformityUniqueness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be a great opening statement for a speech about the importance of personal authenticity.
More from John Keats
All quotes βAre there not thousands in the world who love their fellows even to the death, who feel the giant agony of the world, and more, like slaves to poor humanity, labor for mortal good?
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Ask yourself my love whether you are not very cruel to have so entrammelled me, so destroyed my freedom. Will you confess this in the Letter you must write immediately, and do all you can to console me in it β make it rich as a draught of poppies to intoxicate me βwrite the softest words and kiss them that I may at least touch my lips where yours have been. For myself I know not how to express my devotion to so fair a form: I want a brighter word than bright, a fairer word than fair.
John KeatsRead
Faded the flower and all its budded charms,Faded the sight of beauty from my eyes,Faded the shape of beauty from my arms,Faded the voice, warmth, whiteness, paradise!Vanishd unseasonably
John KeatsRead
I think we may class the lawyer in the natural history of monsters.
John KeatsRead
...I leaped headlong into the Sea, and thereby have become more acquainted with the Soundings, the quicksands, and the rocks, than if I had stayed upon the green shore, and piped a silly pipe, and took tea and comfortable advice.
John KeatsRead
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