'In his state of complete powerlessness the individual perceives the time he has left to live as a brief reprieve.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- When powerless, a person may view their remaining life as a brief pause.
- In plain terms
- Powerlessness makes one see remaining life as a short respite.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize feelings of powerlessness can distort perception of time.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does my sense of control affect my view of time?
- What can I do to feel less powerless?
Another view
Some find empowerment even in powerless states.
More from Theodor Adorno
'If time is money, it seems moral to save time, above all one's own, and such parsimony is excused by consideration for others. One is straight-forward.'
Permalink to quote #41 'In many people it is already an impertinence to say 'I'.'
Permalink to quote #43 'If across the Atlantic the ideology was pride, here it is delivering the goods.'
Permalink to quote #40
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