There are certain things in a man's past which he does not…
““There are certain things in a man's past which he does not divulge to everybody but, perhaps, only to his friends. Again there are certain things he will not divulge even to his friends; he will divulge them perhaps only to himself, and that, too, as a secret. But, finally, there are things which he is afraid to divulge even to himself, and every decent man has quite an accumulation of such things in his mind. I can put it even this way: the more decent a man is, the larger will the number of such things be.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People hide secrets, even from themselves; the more moral they seem, the more hidden burdens they carry.
In simple terms: Everyone hides secrets, especially the moral.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge hidden inner conflicts.
Themes
secrecy
morality
psychology
Mood
introspective
serious
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy
- conflict resolution
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
self‑deception
Questions to Reflect On
- What secrets do you keep from yourself?
- How does secrecy affect moral behavior?
A Different Perspective
Denial can prevent growth and honesty.