Emotional-plague Quote by Wilhelm Reich
““I want you to stop being subhuman and become 'yourself'. 'Yourself,' I say. Not the newspaper you read, not your vicious neighbor's opinion, but 'yourself.' I know, and you don't, what you really are deep down. Deep down, you are what a deer, your God, your poet, or your philosopher is. But you think you're a member of the VFW, your bowling club, or the Ku Klux Klan, and because you think so, you behave as you do. This too was told you long ago, by Heinrich Mann in Germany, by Upton Sinclair and John Dos Passos in the United States. But you recognized neither Mann nor Sinclair. You recognize only the heavyweight champion and Al Capone. If given your choice between a library and a fight, you'll undoubtedly go to the fight.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public lecture, 1930s, Germany
The speaker urges individuals to reject imposed identities and societal labels, urging authentic self‑recognition beyond external influences.
In simple terms: Be true to your inner nature, not the roles others assign.
Key Takeaway
Discard imposed identities, embrace authentic self.
Themes
identity
authenticity
self‑discovery
societal pressure
Mood
defiant
reflective
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- education
- political activism
- media consumption
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
social conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- What identities have you adopted unconsciously?
- How can you reconnect with your inner self?
A Different Perspective
External labels can be deeply internalized, making change difficult.
