I sit astride life like a bad rider on a horse. I only owe it to the horse's good nature that I am not thrown off at this very moment. (p. 36e)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Life is difficult to manage, and survival depends on circumstances beyond our control.
- In plain terms
- I handle life poorly and stay safe only because things are not too harsh right now.
- What can you take from it?
- Survival often relies on luck as much as skill.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much of your stability comes from luck?
- Are you riding life or steering it?
Another view
It underestimates the role of personal agency in overcoming hardship.
More from Ludwig Wittgenstein
Resting on your laurels is as dangerous as resting when you are walking in the snow. You doze off and die in your sleep. (p. 35e)
Permalink to quote #79 One might say: Genius is talent exercised with courage. (p. 38e)
Permalink to quote #81 Nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself. (p. 34e)
Permalink to quote #78
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