Children Quote by Rainer Maria Rilke
““And when you realize that their activities are shabby, that their vocations are petrified and no longer connected with life, why not then continue to look upon it all as a child would, as if you were looking at something unfamiliar, out of the depths of your own solitude, which is itself work and status and vocation? Why should you want to give up a child’s wise not-understanding in exchange for a defensiveness and scorn, since not-understanding is, after all, a way of being alone, whereas defensiveness and scorn are participation in precisely what, by these means, you want to separate yourself from.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Letters to a Young Poet, 1922
The passage urges embracing naïve wonder and solitude rather than defensive pride, seeing child‑like perception as a path to authentic existence.
In simple terms: Value childlike wonder over defensive pride.
Key Takeaway
Choose openness and solitude.
Themes
authenticity
solitude
wonder
defensiveness
pride
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
inspirational
Type
philosophical
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative work
- spiritual practice
- teaching
- counseling
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance childlike openness with adult responsibility?
- When does defensiveness protect you?
A Different Perspective
Childlike perception can be immature or impractical in complex adult life.
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