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Desires Quote by Jerome K Jerome

“Are we labouring at some Work too vast for us to perceive? Are our passions and desires mere whips and traces by the help of which we are driven? Any theory seems more hopeful than the thought that all our eager, fretful lives are but the turning of a useless prison crank. Looking back the little…” quote by Jerome K Jerome
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““Are we labouring at some Work too vast for us to perceive? Are our passions and desires mere whips and traces by the help of which we are driven? Any theory seems more hopeful than the thought that all our eager, fretful lives are but the turning of a useless prison crank. Looking back the little distance that our dim eyes can penetrate the past, what do we find? Civilizations, built up with infinite care, swept aside and lost. Beliefs for which men lived and died, proved to be mockeries. Greek Art crushed to the dust by Gothic bludgeons. Dreams of fraternity, drowned in blood by a Napoleon. What is left to us, but the hope that the work itself, not the result, is the real monument? Maybe, we are as children, asking, "Of what use are these lessons? What good will they ever be to us?" But there comes a day when the lad understands why he learnt grammar and geography, when even dates have a meaning for him. But this is not until he has left school, and gone out into the wider world. So, perhaps, when we are a little more grown up, we too may begin to understand the reason for our living””

Jerome K Jerome

About This Quote

Source Essay: Reflections on Civilization, 1910

Human endeavors may seem futile against vast history; yet the process of work and learning gives meaning, even if outcomes appear insignificant.

In simple terms: Work and learning give purpose despite fleeting results.

Key Takeaway

Find purpose in effort, not just outcomes.

Themes

philosophy existentialism history

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • personal growth
  • academic study
  • creative projects
  • historical analysis

Key Concepts

meaning labor education legacy

Questions to Reflect On

  • What gives your work meaning?
  • How do you balance effort and outcome?
A Different Perspective

Focusing solely on results can cause nihilism.

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