Habits Quote by George Eliot
““The lapse of time during which a given event has not happened, is, in this logic of habit, constantly alleged as a reason why the event should never happen, even when the lapse of time is precisely the added condition which makes the event imminent. A man will tell you that he has worked in a mine for forty years unhurt by an accident as a reason why he should apprehend no danger, though the roof is beginning to sink; and it is often observable, that the older a man gets, the more difficult it is to him to retain a believing conception of his own death.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “Middlemarch”, 1871
Habitual rationalizations delay confronting mortality, leading to complacency.
In simple terms: We ignore death by making excuses.
Key Takeaway
Face mortality honestly.
Themes
mortality
habit
rationalization
Mood
somber
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- aging
- risk assessment
- personal safety
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you confront your mortality?
- What habits mask fear of death?
A Different Perspective
Denial can cause unpreparedness.
![“[F]ew people have never hurt anyone or been guilty of any serious lapse [...]” quote by Murasaki Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/221/murasaki-shikibu-11970_quote_f-ew-people-have-never-hurt-anyone-or-be_864202.jpg)
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
