1932 Quote by Mary Butts
““Every day he woke to the desire to take the world by the throat, and choke it. He had no illusion that the world wanted to be saved; still less that it was ready to be saved by him. Ready!—it was punching at him with agonizing blows, to be rid of him, once and for all. He woke up. Even that was not true now. It had been true once, but now the world was getting over any slight alarm he might have caused it. It was leaving him alone, to realise the wounds it had given him. Sometimes it was even tolerant and trying to patch him up.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Man Who Was Too Much” by Mary Butts, 1915
A man’s aggressive ambition clashes with a world indifferent to his savior complex, leading to disillusionment.
In simple terms: He tries to dominate the world, but the world moves on without him.
Key Takeaway
Accept limits of control and adapt.
Themes
ambition
illusion
power
disillusionment
Mood
cynical
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political activism
- personal crusades
- overcoming ego
- life setbacks
Key Concepts
hubris
existential conflict
acceptance
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives your need to control?
- Can you find purpose beyond domination?
A Different Perspective
His worldview may ignore collaborative solutions.
![“But alas! Firemen [stoking a ship] are not what they were. The gor-blimey firemen of the coal-burning days must, I think, be a diminishing species and in these degenerate times, when ships burn oil, the firemen is rapidly becoming a perfect gentleman, which is a pity …. Yet all was not quite lost…” quote by Ommanney F. D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/538/f-d-ommanney-165851_1932_but-alas-firemen-stoking-a-ship-are-not_2184474.jpg)
