Attitude Quote by Philip Jose Farmer
“It was the essence of life to disbelieve in death for one's self, to act as if life would continue forever. And life had to act also as if little issues were big ones. To take a realistic attitude toward life and death meant that one lapsed into unreality. Into insanity. It was ironic that the only way to keep one's sanity was to ignore that one was in an insane world or to act as if the world were sane.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Lovers, 1961
He argued that denying death and treating trivial matters as monumental leads to a fragile grip on sanity, requiring denial of the world's insanity.
In simple terms: Denial of death and exaggerating small problems can cause madness.
Key Takeaway
Balance realism with acceptance of mortality.
Themes
life
death
sanity
reality
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- grief counseling
- philosophical discussions
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
nihilism
Questions to Reflect On
- What helps maintain sanity when confronting mortality?
- How can we acknowledge small issues without inflating them?
A Different Perspective
Ignoring reality may foster delusion rather than stability.
