Sensuality, as long as it is straightforward did not repel…
““Sensuality, as long as it is straightforward did not repel him, but this derived sensuality - the sort that classes a mistress among motor-cars if she is beautiful, and among eye-flies if she isn't - was alien to his own emotions . . . It was, in a new form, the old, old trouble that eats the heart out of every civilization: snobbery, the desire for possessions, creditable appendages; and it is to escape this rather than the lusts of the flesh that the saints retreat into the Himalayas.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Desires for status and possessions corrupt authentic emotion, leading to alienation; true escape lies in renouncing material cravings.
In simple terms: Material desire corrupts true feeling; escape by renouncing.
Key Takeaway
Seek authenticity over status.
Themes
snobbery
materialism
spirituality
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career ambition
- consumer culture
- personal relationships
- spiritual retreats
Key Concepts
psychology
social critique
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives your desire for status?
- Can you find fulfillment without material excess?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize asceticism without addressing practical needs.