Desire! It carries us and crucifies us, delivers us every…
““Desire! It carries us and crucifies us, delivers us every new day to a battlefield where, on the eve, the battle was lost; but in sunlight does it not look like a territory ripe for conquest, a place where - even though tomorrow we will die - we can build empires doomed to fade to dust, as if the knowledge we have of their imminent fall had absolutely no effect on our eagerness to build them now? We are filled with the energy of constantly wanting that which we cannot have, we are abandoned at dawn on a field littered with corpses, we are transported until our death by projects that are no sooner completed than they must be renewed. Yet how exhausting it is to be constantly desiring...””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Desire drives endless cycles of creation and destruction, fueling ambition yet leading to perpetual dissatisfaction.
In simple terms: Desire pushes us to build, but never satisfies.
Key Takeaway
Recognize desire’s double‑edged nature.
Themes
ambition
desire
impermanence
existentialism
Mood
philosophical
reflective
Type
literary
existential.
When to use this quote
- career planning
- artistic projects
- relationship goals
- personal growth
Key Concepts
meaning
satisfaction
human drive
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you find contentment without constant desire?
- What would you create if desire vanished?
A Different Perspective
Desire can cause burnout and endless striving.