“I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man than to take the path that leads to himself.”

—  Hermann Hesse , book Demian

Source: Demian (1919), p. 134

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man than to take the path that leads to himself." by Hermann Hesse?
Hermann Hesse photo
Hermann Hesse 168
German writer 1877–1962

Related quotes

“If I were someone who led himself, I would not take the path that leads to death.”

Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Argentinian poet

Si yo fuera quien se conduce a sí mismo, no iría por la senda que conduce a morir.
Voces (1943)

Gabriel García Márquez photo
Frederick William Robertson photo

“This is the true liberty of Christ, when a free man binds himself in love to duty. Not in shrinking from our distasteful occupations, but in fulfilling them, do we realize our high origin.”

Frederick William Robertson (1816–1853) British writer and theologian

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 378.

Laurell K. Hamilton photo
Niccolo Machiavelli photo

“It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”

Variant: It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.
Source: The Prince (1513), Ch. 6
Context: It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them.

Zafar Mirzo photo
John Donne photo

“It is too little to call man a little world, except God, man is a diminutive to nothing. Man consists of more pieces, more parts, than the world; than the world doth, nay, than the world is.”

John Donne (1572–1631) English poet

IV. Mediscque Vocatur The physician is sent for
Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions (1624)

Confucius photo

“There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.”

Confucius (-551–-479 BC) Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

Robin Hobb photo
Marco Rubio photo

“Nothing matters if we aren't safe… The world has never been more dangerous than it is today.”

Marco Rubio (1971) U.S. Senator from state of Florida, United States; politician

As quoted in "America's Next Top Fearmonger: The presidential candidates compete to scare the daylights out of the U.S. public." http://nationalinterest.org/feature/america%E2%80%99s-next-top-fearmonger-12954 (22 May 2015), by Robert Golan-Vilella, National Interest.
2010s, 2015

Related topics