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If he had smiled why would he have smiled? To reflect that each one who enters imagines himself to be the first to enter whereas he is always the last term of a preceding series even if the first term of a succeeding one, each imagining himself to be first, last, only and alone whereas he is neither first nor last nor only nor alone in a series originating in and repeated to infinity.
James Joyce
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote explores the nature of individuality and the illusion of being unique in a continuous series of existence.

James Joyce's quote reflects on the human tendency to perceive oneself as unique or alone, despite being part of an ongoing continuum of existence. It highlights the idea that everyone who enters a new experience believes they are the first to do so, yet they are in fact part of a larger series of individuals who have come before and will come after, thus illustrating the shared nature of human experience and the interconnectedness of all individuals.

Themes

IndividualityExistenceContinuumSeriesHuman Experience

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the interconnectedness of human experience, one could use this quote to emphasize that no one is truly alone.

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