Control myself Quote by Haruki Murakami
““Only people who've been discriminated against can really know how much it hurts. Each person feels the pain in his own way, each has his own scars. So I think I'm as concerned about fairness and justice as anybody. But what disgusts me even more are people who have no imagination. The kind T. S. Eliot calls hollow men. People who fill up that lack of imagination with heartless bits of straw, not even aware of what they're doing. Callous people who throw a lot of empty words at you, trying to force you to do what you don't want to. Like that lovely pair we just met.” He sighs and twirls the long slender pencil in his hand. “Gays, lesbians, straights, feminists, fascist pigs, communists, Hare Krishnas-- none of them bother me. I don't care what banner they raise. But what I can't stand are hollow people. When I'm with them I just can't bear it, and wind up saying things I shouldn't. With those women--I should've just let it slide, or else called Miss Saeki and let her handle it. She would have given them a smile and smoothed things over. But I just can't do “do that. I say things I shouldn't, do things I shouldn't do. I can't control myself. That's one of my weak points. Do you know why that's a weak point of mine?” “'Cause if you take every single person who lacks much imagination seriously, there's no end to it,” I say.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: 1Q84, 2009
The speaker condemns those who lack imagination and use empty rhetoric, seeing them as morally hollow and harmful.
In simple terms: Hollow people are dangerous because they lack empathy and imagination.
Avoid engaging with hollow people; seek authentic, compassionate dialogue.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- political activism
- personal relationships
- conflict resolution
- self‑control
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize hollow rhetoric in everyday life?
- What practices nurture imagination and empathy?
Even well‑intentioned people can become hollow if they ignore imagination and empathy.