--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How to repulse a demon (an old problem)?…" description: "\"“How to repulse a demon (an old problem)? The demons, especially if they are demons of language (and what else could they be?) are fought by language. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png" --- # How to repulse a demon (an old problem)? The demons… ![“How to repulse a demon (an old problem)? The demons, especially if they are demons of language (and what else could they be?) are fought by language. Hence I can hope to exorcise the demonic word which is breathed into my ears (by myself) if I substitute for it (if I have the gifts of language for…” quote by Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png) > ““How to repulse a demon (an old problem)? The demons, especially if they are demons of language (and what else could they be?) are fought by language. Hence I can hope to exorcise the demonic word which is breathed into my ears (by myself) if I substitute for it (if I have the gifts of language for doing so) another, calmer word (I yield to euphemism). Thus: I imagined I had escaped from the crisis at last, when behold -- favored by a long car trip -- a flood of language sweeps me away, I keep tormenting myself with the thought, desire, regret, and rage of the other; and I add to these wounds the discouragement of having to acknowledge that I am falling back, relapsing; but the French vocabulary is a veritable pharmacopoeia (poison on one side, antidote on the other): no, this is not a relapse, only a last soubresaut, a final convulsion of the previous demon.”” [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language can both trap and free us; by choosing calmer words we can diminish inner demons, though relapse is possible. **In simple terms:** Words can soothe or torment; choose calming language. Key Takeaway Use mindful language to manage inner turmoil. Themes language psychology self‑control relapse Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal journaling - stress management - creative writing Key Concepts euphemism cognitive framing inner dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe harmful thoughts? - What practices support lasting mental peace? A Different Perspective Changing words alone may not resolve deep issues; underlying causes remain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demonic Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonic-word-972204/) [Demons Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demons-language-972203/) [Problem Demons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-demons-972206/) [Relapsing French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relapsing-french-972207/) [Repulse Demon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repulse-demon-972205/) ## Related quotes > [“Se o problema são os demónios estrangula-os com a tua loucura. If the problem is the demons strangle them with your madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-eust-quio/se-o-problema-s-o-os-dem-nios-estrangula-os-com-a-tua-loucura-if-the/) [Victor Eustáquio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-eust-quio/) > [“Maybe the problem is that demons belong with demons. Because they’re both takers. One takes from the other but she doesn’t miss it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-crewe/maybe-the-problem-is-that-demons-belong-with-demons-because-they-re/) [Eliza Crewe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-crewe/) ## More by Roland Barthes > [“Werther identifies himself with the madman, with the footman. As a reader, I can identify myself with Werther. 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But sometimes, once my bad temper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/so-long-as-i-perceive-the-world-as-hostile-i-remain-linked-to-it-i-am/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals: I mean the supreme creation of an era, conceived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/i-think-that-cars-today-are-almost-the-exact-equivalent-of-the-great/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [“(Sartre) (The world is full without me, as in Nausea; the world plays at living behind a glass partition; the world is in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/sartre-the-world-is-full-without-me-as-in-nausea-the-world-plays-at/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [“Like love, mourning affects the world—and the worldly—with unreality, with importunity. 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Then comes another age at which we teach what we do not know;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/there-is-an-age-at-which-we-teach-what-we-know-then-comes-another-age/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [As a jealous man, I suffer four times over: because I am jealous, because I blame myself for being so, because I fear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/as-a-jealous-man-i-suffer-four-times-over-because-i-am-jealous/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) [Explore all 282 Roland Barthes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How to repulse a demon (an old problem)? The demons, especially if they are demons of language (and what else could they be?) are fought by language. 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Thus: I imagined I had escaped from the crisis at last, when behold -- favored by a long car trip -- a flood of language sweeps me away, I keep tormenting myself with the thought, desire, regret, and rage of the other; and I add to these wounds the discouragement of having to acknowledge that I am falling back, relapsing; but the French vocabulary is a veritable pharmacopoeia (poison on one side, antidote on the other): no, this is not a relapse, only a last soubresaut, a final convulsion of the previous demon.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roland Barthes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-the-demons-especially-if-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Demons Language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-the-demons-especially-if-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7af/roland-barthes-1062_demons-language_how-to-repulse-a-demon-an-old-problem-th_872935.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How to repulse a demon (an old problem)? 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