Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an…
“Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a sin the corrupt or evil man never practices. He always has hope. He never reaches the freezing-point of knowing absolute failure. Only the man of goodwill carries always in his heart this capacity for damnation.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Despair follows impossible goals; yet hope persists, preventing total surrender to failure.
In simple terms: Impossible aims cause despair, but hope remains.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with realistic hope.
Themes
despair
hope
ambition
Mood
somber
hopeful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career planning
- creative projects
- personal growth
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What impossible goal drives you?
- How do you sustain hope amid setbacks?
A Different Perspective
Unrealistic goals can be harmful.