In order to understand, I destroyed myself.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Pessoa suggests that deep understanding requires sacrificing parts of oneself.
- In plain terms
- I had to break myself apart to truly understand things.
- What can you take from it?
- Deep insight often demands personal sacrifice or change.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What have you lost to gain understanding?
- Is wisdom worth the cost?
Another view
This equates suffering with wisdom unnecessarily.
More from Fernando Pessoa
For I am the size of what I see / not my height's size.
Permalink to quote #46 Solitude desolates me; company oppresses me.
Permalink to quote #48 To stagnate in the sun, goldenly, like an obscure lake surrounded by flowers.
Permalink to quote #45
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