They say that people standing on a height have an impulse…
““They say that people standing on a height have an impulse to throw themselves down. I imagine that many suicides and murders have been committed simply because the revolver has been in the hand. It is like a precipice, with an incline of an angle of forty-five degrees, down which you cannot help sliding, and something impels you irresistibly to pull the trigger. But the knowledge that I had seen, that I knew it all, and was waiting for death at her hands without a word - might hold her back on the incline.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote explores how external circumstances and inner knowledge can influence a person's willingness to act on destructive impulses.
In simple terms: External forces and inner awareness affect destructive choices.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how knowledge and context can deter harmful actions.
Themes
psychology
free will
morality
danger
knowledge
Mood
thoughtful
somber
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- courtroom testimony
- personal crisis
- mental health counseling
- ethical decision‑making
Key Concepts
determinism
existentialism
self‑control
Questions to Reflect On
- How does awareness change a person's actions?
- Can external factors truly prevent self‑destruction?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑simplify complex mental health issues and personal agency.