--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now: the first requirement of stability…" description: "\"“Now: the first requirement of stability in a human being was that the said human being should really desire to exist. This is what Spinoza says.”\" — S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/saul-bellow-558_nature-of-man_now-the-first-requirement-of-stability-i_2191859.png" --- # Now: the first requirement of stability in a human being… ![“Now: the first requirement of stability in a human being was that the said human being should really desire to exist. This is what Spinoza says.” quote by Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/saul-bellow-558_nature-of-man_now-the-first-requirement-of-stability-i_2191859.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/saul-bellow-558_nature-of-man_now-the-first-requirement-of-stability-i_2191859.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/saul-bellow-558_nature-of-man_now-the-first-requirement-of-stability-i_2191859.png) > ““Now: the first requirement of stability in a human being was that the said human being should really desire to exist. This is what Spinoza says.”” [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human stability requires a deep desire for existence, echoing Spinoza’s view that the will to live underpins psychological health. **In simple terms:** Desire to live is essential for personal stability. Key Takeaway Cultivate a genuine desire for life. Themes existence psychology spirituality Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - therapy - personal growth - spiritual practice - life coaching Key Concepts will self‑actualization human nature Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your desire to exist? - How can you strengthen that desire? A Different Perspective Desire alone may not guarantee stability without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-exist-2597571/) [Exist Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-spinoza-4777327/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spinoza/) [Spinoza Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spinoza-says-4777326/) [Stability Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stability-human-4777328/) ## Related quotes > [The fundamental desire of life is the desire to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/the-fundamental-desire-of-life-is-the-desire-to-exist/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Since beings desire to exist, because to exist is a good thing: they desire the One without which they cannot exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-of-cusa/since-beings-desire-to-exist-because-to-exist-is-a-good-thing-they/) [Nicholas of Cusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-of-cusa/) > [“So the will's desire for death is not a desire for nonexistence, but a desire for peace. 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They all live with endless possibilities, leave their homes for the sake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aminatta-forna/adrian-s-tone-suggested-that-the-desire-for-something-was-all-it-took/) [Aminatta Forna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aminatta-forna/) > [I desire therefore I exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/i-desire-therefore-i-exist/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [“And I hold with Spinoza (I hope he won’t mind) that to demand what is impossible for any human being, to exercise power where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/and-i-hold-with-spinoza-i-hope-he-won-t-mind-that-to-demand-what-is/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“Spinoza left a celebrated description of his life’s endeavour: After experience had taught me that all things which frequently take place in ordinary life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/spinoza-left-a-celebrated-description-of-his-life-s-endeavour-after/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Exactly. 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Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [“Spinoza writes, “A free man, that is to say, a man who lives according to the dictates of reason alone, is not led by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/spinoza-writes-a-free-man-that-is-to-say-a-man-who-lives-according-to/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [I can understand your aversion to the use of the term 'religion' to describe an emotional and psychological attitude which shows itself most clearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-can-understand-your-aversion-to-the-use-of-the-term-religion-to/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Consistency is the virtue of small minds, and Spinoza had a great mind—he was inconsistent all over the place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-holt/consistency-is-the-virtue-of-small-minds-and-spinoza-had-a-great-mind/) [Jim Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-holt/) > [Malebranche teaches that we see all things in God himself. This is certainly equivalent to explaining something unknown by something even more unknown. Moreover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/malebranche-teaches-that-we-see-all-things-in-god-himself-this-is/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“On the other hand it is probably safe to assume that Rembrandt and Spinoza surely would have at least passed on the street, now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-markson/on-the-other-hand-it-is-probably-safe-to-assume-that-rembrandt-and/) [David Markson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-markson/) > [“If this conviction had not been a strongly emotional one and if those searching for knowledge had not been inspired by Spinoza 's Amor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-this-conviction-had-not-been-a-strongly-emotional-one-and-if-those/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Saul Bellow > [... a fellow can't predict what he will pick up in the form of influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/a-fellow-can-t-predict-what-he-will-pick-up-in-the-form-of-influence/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [If I'm out of my mind, it's all right with me, thought Moses Herzog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/if-i-m-out-of-my-mind-it-s-all-right-with-me-thought-moses-herzog/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [I have begun in old age to understand just how oddly we are all put together. 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Plenty of evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/is-our-species-crazy-plenty-of-evidence/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“But now the emphasis has shifted to making it. People have surrendered their personal moral objectives to government or schools or psychologists. It’s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/but-now-the-emphasis-has-shifted-to-making-it-people-have-surrendered/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [There's a kind of emptiness at the center of life ... nothing to form your life on, or by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-s-a-kind-of-emptiness-at-the-center-of-life-nothing-to-form/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“I don't know how it all at once came to me to talk a lot, tell jokes, kick up, and suddenly have views. 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And this is the root of the struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/for-knowledge-of-death-makes-us-wish-to-extend-our-lives-at-the/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) [Explore all 464 Saul Bellow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) ## More Nature of man quotes > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. 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