When I have neither pleasure nor pain and have been…
““When I have neither pleasure nor pain and have been breathing for a while the lukewarm insipid air of these so called good and tolerable days, I feel so bad in my childish soul that I smash my moldering lyre of thanksgiving in the face of the slumbering god of contentment and would rather feel the very devil burn in me than this warmth of a well-heated room. A wild longing for strong emotions and sensations seethes in me, a rage against this toneless, flat, normal and sterile life. I have a mad impulse to smash something, a warehouse, perhaps, or a cathedral, or myself, to commit outrages, to pull off the wigs of a few revered idols...””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker rejects complacent comfort, craving intense feeling even if it means suffering, and feels trapped by a sterile, content life.
In simple terms: Desire for strong emotions over bland safety.
Key Takeaway
Embrace discomfort to feel alive.
Themes
existential angst
rebellion
search for meaning
intensity
discontent
Mood
restless
passionate
conflicted
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- artistic creation
- personal crisis
- philosophical reflection
- emotional catharsis
Key Concepts
nihilism
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you sacrifice for authentic feeling?
- How can you channel this intensity constructively?
A Different Perspective
Such yearning can lead to self‑destructive actions.