One watches them on the seashore, all the people, and…
““One watches them on the seashore, all the people, and there is something pathetic, almost wistful in them, as if they wished their lives did not add up to this scaly nullity of possession, but as if they could not escape. It is a dragon that has devoured us all: these obscene, scaly houses, this insatiable struggle and desire to possess, to possess always and in spite of everything, this need to be an owner, lest one be owned. It is too hideous and nauseating. Owners and owned, they are like the two sides of a ghastly disease. One feels a sort of madness come over one, as if the world had become hell. But it is only superimposed: it is only a temporary disease. It can be cleaned away.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage critiques humanity’s obsessive drive to own, portraying possession as a corrosive disease that dehumanizes and creates suffering.
In simple terms: Owning too much corrupts and sickens people.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and release unhealthy attachment to possessions.
Themes
materialism
alienation
human suffering
psychology
Mood
disgusted
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
literary
social commentary
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- urban living
- environmental activism
- mental health counseling
Key Concepts
existentialism
consumerism
psychic illness
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your relationship with material goods affect your wellbeing?
- Can you imagine a life less driven by possession?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overgeneralize and ignore cultural contexts where ownership provides security.