--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But whereas we, in our conception…" description: "\"“But whereas we, in our conception, represented the will of nature to renew itself, to individualize and march forward, the others lived in the desire ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/hermann-hesse-130_demian_but-whereas-we-in-our-conception-represe_566100.jpg" --- # But whereas we, in our conception, represented the will of… ![“But whereas we, in our conception, represented the will of nature to renew itself, to individualize and march forward, the others lived in the desire for the perpetuation of things as they are. For them humanity—which they loved as we did—was something complete that must be maintained and…” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/hermann-hesse-130_demian_but-whereas-we-in-our-conception-represe_566100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/hermann-hesse-130_demian_but-whereas-we-in-our-conception-represe_566100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f4/hermann-hesse-130_demian_but-whereas-we-in-our-conception-represe_566100.jpg) > ““But whereas we, in our conception, represented the will of nature to renew itself, to individualize and march forward, the others lived in the desire for the perpetuation of things as they are. For them humanity—which they loved as we did—was something complete that must be maintained and protected. For us humanity was a distant goal towards which we were marching, whose image no one yet know, whose laws were nowhere written down.”” [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## 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 contrasts two worldviews: one sees humanity as a future ideal to be shaped, the other sees it as a static whole to preserve. **In simple terms:** Future ideal vs. static preservation Key Takeaway Recognize which worldview guides your actions Themes progress preservation human nature Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal growth - social policy - cultural heritage - environmental activism Key Concepts Existentialism teleology conservatism Questions to Reflect On - What vision of humanity do you support? - How does this view affect your decisions? A Different Perspective Future ideal may overlook present responsibilities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conception Represented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception-represented-4682845/) [Demian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demian/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-loved-3111745/) [March forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/march-forward/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Protected Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protected-humanity-4682844/) [Things Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-humanity-869352/) ## Related quotes > [“we all had our own reasons to hate the narrative, but that didn’t necessarily mean we had an overwhelming love for humanity. 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For me, there are three kinds of men; he who curses life, he who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/i-have-loved-humanity-i-have-loved-it-so-much-for-me-there-are-three/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“I saw Demian's face and remarked that it was not a boy's face but a man's and then I saw, or rather became aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-saw-demian-s-face-and-remarked-that-it-was-not-a-boy-s-face-but-a/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Each man had only one genuine vocation to find the way to himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/each-man-had-only-one-genuine-vocation-to-find-the-way-to-himself/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“All I wanted was to try and realize whatever was in me. Why was that so difficult?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/all-i-wanted-was-to-try-and-realize-whatever-was-in-me-why-was-that/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“She rose to her feet and preceded me into the garden twilight. Tall and queenly, the woman of mystery strolled among the silent trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/she-rose-to-her-feet-and-preceded-me-into-the-garden-twilight-tall/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“We who bore the mark might well be considered by the rest of the world as strange, even as insane and dangerous. We had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/we-who-bore-the-mark-might-well-be-considered-by-the-rest-of-the/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“But where we have given of our love and respect not from habit but of our own free will, where we have been children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/but-where-we-have-given-of-our-love-and-respect-not-from-habit-but-of/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/what-isn-t-part-of-ourselves-doesn-t-disturb-us/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Once you are able to make your request in such a way that you will be quite certain of its fulfillment, then the fulfillment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/once-you-are-able-to-make-your-request-in-such-a-way-that-you-will-be/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Every man's story is important, eternal and sacred. That is why every man, as long as he lives and fulfills the will of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/every-man-s-story-is-important-eternal-and-sacred-that-is-why-every/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest. It was a scandal that a breed of fearless and sinister people ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/people-with-courage-and-character-always-seem-sinister-to-the-rest-it/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“ "The things we see," said Pistorius gently, "are the things which are already in us. There is no reality beyond what we have inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-things-we-see-said-pistorius-gently-are-the-things-which-are/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“Even as a child I had had at intervals a fondness for observing strange forms in nature, not so much examining them as surrendering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/even-as-a-child-i-had-had-at-intervals-a-fondness-for-observing/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“You are only afraid if you are not in harmony with yourself. People are afraid because they have never owned up to themselves. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/you-are-only-afraid-if-you-are-not-in-harmony-with-yourself-people/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More by Hermann Hesse > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/everything-becomes-a-little-different-as-soon-as-it-is-spoken-out-loud/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“..it is useless for you to build walls and dormitories and chapels and churches. Death looks through the window and laughs..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-is-useless-for-you-to-build-walls-and-dormitories-and-chapels-and/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“When the world is at peace, when all things are tranquil and all men obey their superiors in all their courses, then music can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-the-world-is-at-peace-when-all-things-are-tranquil-and-all-men/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/and-if-time-is-not-real-then-the-dividing-line-that-seems-to-lie/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Were not the gods forms created like me and you, mortal, transient?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/were-not-the-gods-forms-created-like-me-and-you-mortal-transient/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Explore all 951 Hermann Hesse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More Demian quotes > [“You are only afraid if you are not in harmony with yourself. People are afraid because they have never owned up to themselves. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/you-are-only-afraid-if-you-are-not-in-harmony-with-yourself-people/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“Even as a child I had had at intervals a fondness for observing strange forms in nature, not so much examining them as surrendering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/even-as-a-child-i-had-had-at-intervals-a-fondness-for-observing/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“ "The things we see," said Pistorius gently, "are the things which are already in us. There is no reality beyond what we have inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-things-we-see-said-pistorius-gently-are-the-things-which-are/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest. It was a scandal that a breed of fearless and sinister people ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/people-with-courage-and-character-always-seem-sinister-to-the-rest-it/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Every man's story is important, eternal and sacred. That is why every man, as long as he lives and fulfills the will of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/every-man-s-story-is-important-eternal-and-sacred-that-is-why-every/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Once you are able to make your request in such a way that you will be quite certain of its fulfillment, then the fulfillment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/once-you-are-able-to-make-your-request-in-such-a-way-that-you-will-be/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/what-isn-t-part-of-ourselves-doesn-t-disturb-us/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“But where we have given of our love and respect not from habit but of our own free will, where we have been children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/but-where-we-have-given-of-our-love-and-respect-not-from-habit-but-of/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“We who bore the mark might well be considered by the rest of the world as strange, even as insane and dangerous. We had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/we-who-bore-the-mark-might-well-be-considered-by-the-rest-of-the/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“She rose to her feet and preceded me into the garden twilight. Tall and queenly, the woman of mystery strolled among the silent trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/she-rose-to-her-feet-and-preceded-me-into-the-garden-twilight-tall/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“All I wanted was to try and realize whatever was in me. Why was that so difficult?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/all-i-wanted-was-to-try-and-realize-whatever-was-in-me-why-was-that/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Each man had only one genuine vocation to find the way to himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/each-man-had-only-one-genuine-vocation-to-find-the-way-to-himself/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“I saw Demian's face and remarked that it was not a boy's face but a man's and then I saw, or rather became aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-saw-demian-s-face-and-remarked-that-it-was-not-a-boy-s-face-but-a/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [There is no reality except the one contained within us. That is why so many people live such an unreal life. They take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/there-is-no-reality-except-the-one-contained-within-us-that-is-why-so-2/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [An enlightened man had but one duty - to seek the way to himself, to reach inner certainty, to grope his way forward, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/an-enlightened-man-had-but-one-duty-to-seek-the-way-to-himself-to/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Browse all 24 Demian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But whereas we, in our conception, represented the will of nature to renew itself, to individualize and march forward, the others lived in the desire for the perpetuation of things as they are. For them humanity—which they loved as we did—was something complete that must be maintained and protected. 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