The future smells of Russian leather, of blood, of godlessness and of much whipping. I advise our grandchildren to come into the world with very thick skin on their backs.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Heine paints a bleak, violent future and urges resilience.
- In plain terms
- The future looks harsh; be tough.
- What can you take from it?
- Develop thick skin to survive harsh times.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What can we do today to soften a harsh future?
- How does resilience help in crisis?
Another view
The vivid imagery may be overly pessimistic.
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