Belief Quote by Marcel Proust
““But when a belief vanishes, there survives it — more and more ardently, so as to cloak the absence of the power, now lost to us, of imparting reality to new phenomena — an idolatrous attachment to the old things which our belief in them did once animate, as if il was in that belief and not in ourselves that the divine spark resided, and as if our present incredulity had a contingent cause — the death of the gods.””
About This Quote
Source Book: In Search of Lost Time, Marcel Proust, 1913-1927
When a belief disappears, we cling harder to its remnants, mistaking the belief itself for power, and blaming our loss of faith on external forces rather than our own inner spark.
In simple terms: People cling to old beliefs even after they lose meaning.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and let go of outdated attachments.
Themes
faith
attachment
identity
loss
belief
Mood
reflective
melancholic
introspective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- religious doubt
- cultural change
- intellectual transition
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
spirituality
Questions to Reflect On
- What belief are you holding onto despite its loss?
- How does this attachment shape your view of reality?
A Different Perspective
Clinging can prevent growth and new understanding.
![“For her [Françoise], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between the two that she came to see their qualities as interchangeable, expecting material comfort from virtue and moral edification from wealth.” quote by Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/marcel-proust-114_character_for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-nece_2687.jpg)
