... he felt himself to be one of them, who can live…
“... he felt himself to be one of them, who can live neither in the world nor out of it. They are a kind of sick people, whose desire for God makes them unsatisfactory citizens of an ordinary life, but whose strength or temperament fails them to surrender the world completely; and present-day society, with its hurried pace and its mechanical and technical structure, offers no home to these unhappy souls.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Some people feel torn between worldly life and spiritual longing, never fully belonging to either.
In simple terms: Caught between world and faith.
Key Takeaway
Seek balance, not extremes.
Themes
spiritual conflict
alienation
societal pressure
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career choices
- personal relationships
- community involvement
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
existentialism
religion
identity
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “satisfactory citizen” mean to you?
- How can one integrate faith without alienation?
A Different Perspective
May idealize suffering as noble.