“Man's position in the world is defined by the fact that in every dimension of his being and behavior he finds himself at every moment between two boundaries. This condition appears as the formal structure of our existence, filled always with different contents in life's diverse provinces, activities, and destinies. We feel that the content and value of every hour stands between a higher and a lower; every thought between a wiser and a more foolish; every possession between a more extended and a more limited; every deed between a greater and a lesser measure of meaning, adequacy, and morality.”

— Georg Simmel

Source: The View of Life (1918), p. 1. Opening line of first essay "Life as Transcendence"

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Georg Simmel 27

German sociologist, philosopher, and critic 1858–1918

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