--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two deep human desires were at war…" description: "\"Two deep human desires were at war ... the longing for stability, for form, for permanence, which in its essence is the desire for death, and the oppos..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg" --- # Two deep human desires were at war ... the longing for… ![“Two deep human desires were at war ... the longing for stability, for form, for permanence, which in its essence is the desire for death, and the opposing hunger for movement, change, instability and risk, which are life. Men came from the east and built these American towns because they wished to…” quote by Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg) > “Two deep human desires were at war ... the longing for stability, for form, for permanence, which in its essence is the desire for death, and the opposing hunger for movement, change, instability and risk, which are life. Men came from the east and built these American towns because they wished to go no farther, and the towns they built were shaped by the urge to go onward.” [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contrasts the desire for stability (death) with the drive for change (life), shaping progress. **In simple terms:** Stability vs. change drives growth. Key Takeaway Embrace change while honoring roots. Themes change stability progress human desire Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - urban planning - personal growth - career transitions - creative projects Key Concepts existential tension growth mindset cultural development Questions to Reflect On - What balances do you seek between stability and change? - How does risk shape your life purpose? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on change can cause instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Desires War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires-war-2271958/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Human Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-desires-248027/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Instability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instability/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Opposing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposing/) [Permanence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanence/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Stability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stability/) [Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towns/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Urges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urges/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-longing-2271959/) ## Related quotes > [Photography is thus brought within reach of every human being who desires to preserve a record of what he sees… and enables the fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eastman/photography-is-thus-brought-within-reach-of-every-human-being-who/) [George Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eastman/) > [“To avoid a misconception, it must be clarified that a world of steadily increasing wealth by no means ends human competition, and certainly does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-gat/to-avoid-a-misconception-it-must-be-clarified-that-a-world-of/) [Azar Gat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-gat/) > [The full meaning of life, the collective meaning of all human desires, is fundamentally a mystery beyond our grasp. As a young man, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-wigner/the-full-meaning-of-life-the-collective-meaning-of-all-human-desires/) [Eugene Wigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-wigner/) > [“It matter so little to the majority of living beings what the minority, that calls itself human, desires or decides.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/it-matter-so-little-to-the-majority-of-living-beings-what-the/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [All the arts serving human desires and needs are derived from the breath that Godsent into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hildegard-of-bingen/all-the-arts-serving-human-desires-and-needs-are-derived-from-the/) [Hildegard of Bingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hildegard-of-bingen/) > [Human desires and requirements do not ever achieve perfection until death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/human-desires-and-requirements-do-not-ever-achieve-perfection-until/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“But there is no conceivable way of making people do things they do not wish to do. What is possible is to alter their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/but-there-is-no-conceivable-way-of-making-people-do-things-they-do/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I feel that human desires are absolutely necessary. They keep us alive. So, we shouldn’t frown upon them. And instead, should embrace them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhaidev/i-feel-that-human-desires-are-absolutely-necessary-they-keep-us-alive/) [Abhaidev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhaidev/) > [Deep down, we remain human, very human and have all the desires to love and be loved by one person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-hume/deep-down-we-remain-human-very-human-and-have-all-the-desires-to-love/) [Basil Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-hume/) > [The individual feels the vanity of human desires and aims, and the nobility and marvelous order which are revealed in nature and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-individual-feels-the-vanity-of-human-desires-and-aims-and-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [...all enjoyment is dependent upon the frailty of human life and human desires ... if we were to have all we want and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-swallow-richards/all-enjoyment-is-dependent-upon-the-frailty-of-human-life-and-human/) [Ellen Swallow Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-swallow-richards/) > [“Every human being desires love and happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-human-being-desires-love-and-happiness/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The individual feels the futility of human desires and aims and the sublimity and marvelous order which reveal themselves both in nature and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-individual-feels-the-futility-of-human-desires-and-aims-and-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“On occasion a traveler will venture from one city to another. Is he perplexed What took seconds in Berne might take hours in Fribourg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/on-occasion-a-traveler-will-venture-from-one-city-to-another-is-he/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“human desires are the main cause of suffering”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhattha-gotama-buddha/human-desires-are-the-main-cause-of-suffering/) [Siddhattha Gotama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhattha-gotama-buddha/) ## More by Rose Wilder Lane > [As an American I am of course fundamentally opposed to democracy and to anyone advocating or defending democracy, which in theory and practice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/as-an-american-i-am-of-course-fundamentally-opposed-to-democracy-and/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“The only way to make me stand in line for half an hour to buy a spool of thread, or to make me spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-only-way-to-make-me-stand-in-line-for-half-an-hour-to-buy-a-spool/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [I somehow always have this idea that as soon as I can get through this work that's piled up ahead of me, I'll really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/i-somehow-always-have-this-idea-that-as-soon-as-i-can-get-through/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-lasts-longer/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Anyone who says that economic security is a human right, has been to much babied. While he babbles, other men are risking and losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/anyone-who-says-that-economic-security-is-a-human-right-has-been-to/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [It was not seen that woman's place was in the home until she began to go out of it; the statement was a reply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/it-was-not-seen-that-woman-s-place-was-in-the-home-until-she-began-to/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Our quilts were more than useful, they had the faint sentimentality of a pressed flower. And no more beauty. We did not value them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/our-quilts-were-more-than-useful-they-had-the-faint-sentimentality-of/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Nothing whatever but the constitutional law, the political structure, of these United States protects any American from arbitrary seizure of his property and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/nothing-whatever-but-the-constitutional-law-the-political-structure/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [The need for Government is the need for force; where force is unnecessary, there is no need for Government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-need-for-government-is-the-need-for-force-where-force-is/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Plants and animals repeat routine, but men who are not restrained will go into the future like explorers into a new country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/plants-and-animals-repeat-routine-but-men-who-are-not-restrained-will/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Houses are the abiding joys; they are the most emotion-stirring of all things. An automobile is regarded with fond affection, a typewriter becomes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/houses-are-the-abiding-joys-they-are-the-most-emotion-stirring-of-all/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“To know the everlasting majority attitude toward new uses of productive energy, remember that your great-grandfather did not believe that railroads were possible. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/to-know-the-everlasting-majority-attitude-toward-new-uses-of/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“Certainly they would have planted more grapes, produced more wine, lowered the price of wine. They would have needed more casks, more boats, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/certainly-they-would-have-planted-more-grapes-produced-more-wine/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“Ask why you can’t lift an innocent finger without permission, and your lack of the simplest reasoning power baffles them. One must always have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/ask-why-you-can-t-lift-an-innocent-finger-without-permission-and-your/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“Being absolute, and maintained by police force, a Government monopoly need not please its customers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/being-absolute-and-maintained-by-police-force-a-government-monopoly/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) [Explore all 60 Rose Wilder Lane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) ## More Built quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Call me the rap assassinator / rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/call-me-the-rap-assassinator-rhymes-rugged-and-built-like/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [God and I have built an immense fire together. We keep each other happy and warm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/god-and-i-have-built-an-immense-fire-together-we-keep-each-other/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Mostly what I'm focused on is finding people who are younger who haven't built companies before but have a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/mostly-what-i-m-focused-on-is-finding-people-who-are-younger-who/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,164 Built quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Two deep human desires were at war ... the longing for stability, for form, for permanence, which in its essence is the desire for death, and the opposing hunger for movement, change, instability and risk, which are life. Men came from the east and built these American towns because they wished to go no farther, and the towns they built were shaped by the urge to go onward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rose Wilder Lane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-longing-for-stability-for-form/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Built" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-longing-for-stability-for-form/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/rose-wilder-lane-11326_built_two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-l_1830627.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Two deep human desires were at war ... the longing for stability, for form, for permanence, which in its…” — Rose Wilder Lane", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rose Wilder Lane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Two deep human desires were at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-longing-for-stability-for-form/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/two-deep-human-desires-were-at-war-the-longing-for-stability-for-form/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```