--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: an origin, I repeat, is not confined to…" description: "\"“an origin, I repeat, is not confined to the past: it is a whirlwind, in Benjamin's very fine image, a chasm in the present. And we are drawn into this..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/anonymous-1_time_an-origin-i-repeat-is-not-confined-to-th_1376471.jpg" --- # an origin, I repeat, is not confined to the past: it is a… ![“an origin, I repeat, is not confined to the past: it is a whirlwind, in Benjamin's very fine image, a chasm in the present. And we are drawn into this abyss. That is why the present is, par excellence, the thing that is left unlived.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/anonymous-1_time_an-origin-i-repeat-is-not-confined-to-th_1376471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/anonymous-1_time_an-origin-i-repeat-is-not-confined-to-th_1376471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ca/anonymous-1_time_an-origin-i-repeat-is-not-confined-to-th_1376471.jpg) > ““an origin, I repeat, is not confined to the past: it is a whirlwind, in Benjamin's very fine image, a chasm in the present. And we are drawn into this abyss. That is why the present is, par excellence, the thing that is left unlived.”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 suggests that origins are not just past events but dynamic forces shaping the present, creating a deep, unsettling void that we experience as unlive moments. **In simple terms:** Origins are active forces that shape the present, creating a void we feel. Key Takeaway Recognize and engage with the present rather than feeling trapped. Themes philosophy time existence Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative work - mindfulness practice - historical analysis Key Concepts presentism ontological depth Questions to Reflect On - How do you experience the present as a void? - What can you do to make the present feel lived? A Different Perspective It may overemphasize abstraction, making practical application unclear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Origin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origin/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I nearly believe you. The challenge remains extended-make me believe you -- Benjamin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-nearly-believe-you-the-challenge-remains-extended-make-me-believe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is no small misfortune and disgrace that, through our own fault, we neither understand our nature nor our origin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-no-small-misfortune-and-disgrace-that-through-our-own-fault-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“so who knows truly whence it has arisen? 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For hours or seconds. They floated as Benjamin built the pleasure and the sweetness. It became a life raft that they both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-white/they-kissed-for-hours-or-seconds-they-floated-as-benjamin-built-the/) K.L. White > [Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas are always on their 'A-game.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelton-benjamin/shelton-benjamin-and-charlie-haas-are-always-on-their-a-game/) [Shelton Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelton-benjamin/) > [“Benjamin True loved this about humans—how they were generally free to decide to invest themselves in good things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-pelham/benjamin-true-loved-this-about-humans-how-they-were-generally-free-to/) [Jack Pelham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-pelham/) > [ “I agree. 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How else would we know how important they are to us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roth/benjamin-we-re-meant-to-lose-the-people-we-love-how-else-would-we/) [Eric Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roth/) > [Giorgio Agamben is possibly the most delicate and probing thinker since Walter Benjamin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avital-ronell/giorgio-agamben-is-possibly-the-most-delicate-and-probing-thinker/) [Avital Ronell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avital-ronell/) > [“I willna take ye to anyone. And I care not if ye take my life. Just make it quick, so I might be finished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-brown/i-willna-take-ye-to-anyone-and-i-care-not-if-ye-take-my-life-just/) [E.B. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-brown/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Benjamin quotes > [“I willna take ye to anyone. And I care not if ye take my life. Just make it quick, so I might be finished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-brown/i-willna-take-ye-to-anyone-and-i-care-not-if-ye-take-my-life-just/) [E.B. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-brown/) > [Giorgio Agamben is possibly the most delicate and probing thinker since Walter Benjamin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avital-ronell/giorgio-agamben-is-possibly-the-most-delicate-and-probing-thinker/) [Avital Ronell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avital-ronell/) > [Benjamin, we’re meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roth/benjamin-we-re-meant-to-lose-the-people-we-love-how-else-would-we/) [Eric Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roth/) > [“You are mine. Mine. I won’t let anyone touch you ever again. No one, you hear me? Not Martin, not any fucking man. 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To me, it \[galloping on horseback\] is the essence of freedom—the power of the beast beneath you, the wind in your face,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzannah-daniels/i-agree-to-me-it-galloping-on-horseback-is-the-essence-of-freedom-the/) [Suzannah Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzannah-daniels/) > [“Benjamin True loved this about humans—how they were generally free to decide to invest themselves in good things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-pelham/benjamin-true-loved-this-about-humans-how-they-were-generally-free-to/) [Jack Pelham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-pelham/) > [Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas are always on their 'A-game.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelton-benjamin/shelton-benjamin-and-charlie-haas-are-always-on-their-a-game/) [Shelton Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelton-benjamin/) > [“They kissed. For hours or seconds. They floated as Benjamin built the pleasure and the sweetness. It became a life raft that they both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-white/they-kissed-for-hours-or-seconds-they-floated-as-benjamin-built-the/) K.L. White > [“The confines of enslavement were producing Black people who were intellectually, psychologically, culturally, and behaviorally different, not inferior. Benjamin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/the-confines-of-enslavement-were-producing-black-people-who-were/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [Walter Benjamin has this notion of the angel of history and in a way that's paradoxical itself. We don't have angels in history anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stern/walter-benjamin-has-this-notion-of-the-angel-of-history-and-in-a-way/) [Steve Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stern/) > [Benjamin Hardlysee decided to point it out to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gay/benjamin-hardlysee-decided-to-point-it-out-to-me/) David Gay > [Benjamin Franklin didnt win 21 Grammys right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/benjamin-franklin-didnt-win-21-grammys-right/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“Whoever said love was blind, was right, Benjamin decided sometime later as he listened to the even rise and fall of Tzadkiel’s breaths. Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibby-armstrong/whoever-said-love-was-blind-was-right-benjamin-decided-sometime-later/) [Tibby Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tibby-armstrong/) > [My first name, Benjamin, dates back a thousand years earlier to Benjamin - Binyamin - the son of Jacob, who was also known as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/my-first-name-benjamin-dates-back-a-thousand-years-earlier-to/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [“Perhaps in his loneliness he had acquired the silent conviction that he was 'the last', the one, the only. And, being the last, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr/perhaps-in-his-loneliness-he-had-acquired-the-silent-conviction-that/) [Walter M. Miller Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr/) Browse all 47 Benjamin quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“an origin, I repeat, is not confined to the past: it is a whirlwind, in Benjamin's very fine image, a chasm in the present. And we are drawn into this abyss. 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