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Desire Quote by Leo Tolstoy

“I felt that what I had been standing on had collapsed and that I had nothing left under my feet. What I had lived on no longer existed, and there was nothing left. My life came to a standstill. I could breathe, eat, drink, and sleep, and I could not help doing these things; but there was no life…” quote by Leo Tolstoy
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““I felt that what I had been standing on had collapsed and that I had nothing left under my feet. What I had lived on no longer existed, and there was nothing left. My life came to a standstill. I could breathe, eat, drink, and sleep, and I could not help doing these things; but there was no life, for there were no wishes the fulfillment of which I could consider reasonable. If I desired anything, I knew in advance that whether I satisfied my desire or not, nothing would come of it. Had a fairy come and offered to fulfil my desires I should not have know what to ask. If in moments of intoxication I felt something which, though not a wish, was a habit left by former wishes, in sober moments I knew this to be a delusion and that there was really nothing to wish for. I could not even wish to know the truth, for I guessed of what it consisted. The truth was that life is meaningless. I had as it were lived, lived, and walked, walked, till I had come to a precipice and saw clearly that there was nothing ahead of me but destruction. It was impossible to stop, impossible to go back, and impossible to close my eyes or avoid seeing that there was nothing ahead but suffering and real death--complete annihilation.””

Leo Tolstoy

About This Quote

The narrator experiences a profound existential crisis, feeling life is meaningless and devoid of purpose or desire.

In simple terms: Life feels empty and without meaning.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and confront feelings of emptiness.

Themes

existentialism nihilism despair psychology

Mood

somber reflective

Type

philosophical psychological

When to use this quote

  • mental health counseling
  • philosophical study
  • creative expression
  • support groups

Key Concepts

meaninglessness despair introspection

Questions to Reflect On

  • What small purpose can you identify today?
  • How might connection with others alleviate emptiness?
A Different Perspective

Finding meaning may be challenging without external guidance.

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