Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he plays.
Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- True humanity is expressed through play, and play is essential to being fully human.
- In plain terms
- You are most human when you play.
- What can you take from it?
- Play is not just fun; it is vital to human nature.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much do you play in your life?
- Is work a form of play for you?
Another view
Not all play is meaningful or beneficial for everyone.
More from Friedrich von Schiller
No doubt the artist is the child of his time; but woe to him if he is also its disciple, or even its favorite.
Permalink to quote #52 While the womanly god demands our veneration, the godlike woman kindles our love; but while we allow ourselves to melt in the celestial loveliness, the celesti…
Permalink to quote #54 As noble Art has survived noble nature, so too she marches ahead of it, fashioning and awakening by her inspiration. Before Truth sends her triumphant light in…
Permalink to quote #51
Related quotes
I discuss with myself questions of politics, love, taste, or philosophy. I let my mind rove wantonly, give it free rein to follow any idea, wise or mad that ma…
Denis DiderotDenis Diderot quote #59 The tragic right is a condition of life, a condition in which the human personality is able to flower and realize itself. The wrong is the condition which supp…
Arthur MillerArthur Miller quote #69 I could buy myself paper, a pen, a pencil and a brush and could create pictures whenever and wherever I wanted. ... That evening, in the spring of 1947, on the…
Peter WeissPeter Weiss quote #1