Life Quote by Thomas Bernhard
““One is called upon to approach and realize and complete the monstrousness, and everyone has some such enormity in his life, or else to be destroyed by this monstrousness even before one has entered into it. In this way people always tend to waver at a certain point in their lives, and always at the particular crucial point in their lives when they must decide whether to tackle the monstrousness of their life or let themselves be destroyed by it before they have tackled it. Most people prefer to let themselves be destroyed by this monstrousness rather than to tackle it, because they aren't equipped by nature to tackle and realize and fulfil their monstrousness, they're rather inclined, by nature, to let themselves be destroyed by their monstrousness before they have tackled it. The matured idea is enough in itself to destroy most people, so Roithamer.””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Lost World, 1975
He describes confronting overwhelming personal challenges versus being consumed by them, noting most avoid confronting due to lack of preparation.
In simple terms: Face huge challenges or be overwhelmed by them.
Key Takeaway
Confront your inner monsters.
Themes
courage
existential crisis
self-awareness
Mood
somber
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career crossroads
- personal loss
- mental health struggles
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What “monstrousness” do you avoid?
- How can you prepare to confront it?
A Different Perspective
Not everyone is equipped to tackle deep existential issues alone.
