QuoteProject
You've never seen death? Look in the mirror every day and you will see it like bees working in a glass hive.
Jean Cocteau
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that self-reflection reveals the inevitability of death, akin to observing the work of bees in a hive.

In this quote, Jean Cocteau emphasizes that the contemplation of our mortality is a daily reality that can be observed through self-reflection. He likens this introspection to watching bees in a glass hive, implying that just as the bees are busy with life, our awareness of death is ever-present, urging us to acknowledge the profound truth of our existence and the passage of time.

Themes

DeathSelf-ReflectionMortalityExistenceLife

In practice

Example use cases

During a philosophical discussion on the nature of existence, you could use this quote to illustrate the importance of recognizing our mortality.

More from Jean Cocteau

The ear disapproves but tolerates certain musical pieces; transfer them into the domain of our nose, and we will be forced to flee.
Jean CocteauRead
One must be a living man and a posthumous artist.
Jean CocteauRead
All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it.
Jean CocteauRead
Nothing ever gets anywhere. The earth keeps turning round and gets nowhere. The moment is the only thing that counts.
Jean CocteauRead
Listen carefully to first criticisms made of your work. Note just what it is about your work that critics don't like - then cultivate it. That's the only part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.
Jean CocteauRead
Watch yourself all your life in a mirror and you'll see Death at work like bees in a glass hive.
Jean CocteauRead

Similar quotes

We shared the smile of recognizing ourselves in each other, how many imposters do I have? Do we all make the same mistakes, or has one of us gotten it right, or even just a bit less wrong, am I the imposter?
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
The idea that political freedom can be preserved in the absence of economic freedom, and vice versa, is an illusion. Political freedom is the corollary of economic freedom.
Ludwig Von MisesRead
Accuracy of signal and free flow of information define sanity in my epistemology.
Robert Anton WilsonRead
The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.
Mortimer AdlerRead
I am an invisible man. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids - and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.
Ralph EllisonRead
Who ARE You?" This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.
Lewis CarrollRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.