Mankind Quote by Robinson Jeffers
“Why does insanity always twist the great answers? Because only tormented persons want truth. Man is an animal like other animals, wants food and success and women, not truth. Only if the mind Tortured by some interior tension has despaired of happiness: then it hates its life-cage and seeks further, And finds, if it is powerful enough. But instantly the private agony that made the search Muddles the finding. Then search for truth is foredoomed and frustrate? Only stained fragments? Until the mind has turned its love from itself and man, from parts to the whole.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The Great Answers” (part of “The Great Silence”), 1917
A tormented mind, driven by inner conflict, seeks truth but is hindered by its own suffering, leading to fragmented understanding.
In simple terms: Pain drives the search for truth, but also clouds it.
Key Takeaway
Accept pain, yet seek clarity beyond it.
Themes
truth
pain
search
mind
illusion
Mood
melancholic
introspective
thoughtful
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- intellectual pursuit
- creative writing
- spiritual quest
Key Concepts
existentialism
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can one balance inner turmoil with clear perception?
- What practices calm the mind for deeper insight?
A Different Perspective
Suffering can obscure insight, making truth elusive.
