...what man is capable of the insane self-conceit of…
““...what man is capable of the insane self-conceit of believing that an eternity of himself would be tolerable even to himself? Those who try to believe it postulate that they shall be made perfect first. But if you make me perfect I shall no longer be myself, nor will it be possible for me to conceive my present imperfections (and what I cannot conceive I cannot remember); so that you may just as well give me a new name and face the fact that I am a new person and that the old Bernard Shaw is as dead as mutton. Thus,oddly enough, the conventional belief in the matter comes to this: that if you wish to live for ever you must be wicked enough to be irretrievably damned, since the saved are no longer what they were, and in hell alone do people retain their sinful nature: that is to say, their individuality. And this sort of hell, however convenient as a means of intimidating persons who have practically no honor and no conscience, is not a fact.””
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 critiques the desire for immortality, arguing it would erase personal identity and moral individuality, turning eternal life into a loss of self.
In simple terms: Immortality would destroy who you are.
Key Takeaway
Value personal growth over endless existence.
Themes
identity
immortality
ethics
self
conceptphilosophy
existentialism
Mood
contemplative
philosophical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- seeking eternal life
- philosophical debates
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
literature
theatre
personal development
Questions to Reflect On
- Is living forever worth losing your unique self?
- What defines personal identity?
A Different Perspective
Eternal life may strip away individuality and moral responsibility.