Conscience Quote by Franz Kafka
“Every one of us has a bad conscience, which he tries to escape by going to sleep as quickly as possible.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Trial by Franz Kafka, 1925
A guilty conscience drives a person to seek escape through sleep, avoiding confronting inner turmoil.
In simple terms: Guilty conscience leads to avoidance via sleep.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address guilt instead of fleeing.
Themes
guilt
avoidance
psychology
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- nighttime insomnia
- stress coping
- self-reflection
- mental health therapy
Key Concepts
conscience
self-deception
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your guilt hide?
- How can you face it awake?
A Different Perspective
Sleep only postpones dealing with underlying issues.
![“The tremendous world I have inside my head. But how [to] free myself and free it without being torn to pieces. And a thousand times [I'd] rather be torn to pieces than rather it in me or bury it. That, indeed, is why I am here, that is quite clear to me.” quote by Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f19/franz-kafka-214_freedom_the-tremendous-world-i-have-inside-my-he_5848.jpg)
![“[D]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without a conscience a man may never be said to grow old. This is an age of very old young men.” quote by Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/076/hesketh-pearson-35291_age_d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-w_14010.jpg)