Diplomacy Quote by Romain Gary
““The diplomatic kids had a hectic sort of life, being constantly thrown from one end of the world to the other and always playing tennis, no matter who was being machine-gunned in the streets, you were always extraterritorial, history was not permitted to touch you, it was only buzzing around your tennis court in a bloody sort of way. You were so well protected that you went to pieces. Diplomatic immunity could do very strange things to you, it was like weightlessness. You had to remind yourself constantly that you actually existed, and you were not supposed to identify yourself too much with the suffering of whatever country you were posted to. But then, who needs reality anyway?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Life Before Us by Romain Gary, 1975
Diplomatic life isolates individuals, making reality feel distant and surreal, requiring constant self‑reminders of existence.
In simple terms: Diplomats feel detached from reality and must stay grounded.
Key Takeaway
Stay aware of your humanity despite privilege.
Themes
isolation
identity
privilege
reality
detachment
Mood
reflective
melancholic
critical
Type
philosophical
personal
When to use this quote
- foreign service
- personal reflection
- mental health
- cultural immersion
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
political sociology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain empathy when insulated by status?
- What practices keep you grounded?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor of weightlessness may downplay genuine moral responsibility.
![“[Putin] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically.” quote by Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/83a/kelly-ayotte-18873_bully_putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-unders_13021.jpg)
