“What belongs to us, we cannot get rid of, even if we were to throw it away.”

Original: Was einem angehört, wird man nicht los, und wenn man es wegwürfe. — The remark suggests that possessions, attachments and responsibilities can remain part of us even after rejection. · Wilhelm Meister’s Journeyman Years, Makaria’s Archive (German)

• Attachment
• Possession
• Self

“One must consider that many people want to say something significant without being productive, and the strangest things then come to light.”

Original: Man muß bedenken, daß unter den Menschen gar viele sind, die doch auch etwas Bedeutendes sagen wollen, ohne produktiv zu sein, und da kommen die wunderlichsten Dinge an den Tag. — Goethe links empty claims to the desire for significance without the discipline of productive work. · Maxims and Reflections (German)

• Creativity
• Vanity
• Writing

“Whoever asks too much, whoever delights in complexity, exposes himself to confusion.”

Original: Wer zuviel verlangt, wer sich am Verwickelten erfreut, der ist den Verwirrungen ausgesetzt. — Goethe warns against making complexity an end in itself and thereby losing clarity. · Wilhelm Meister’s Journeyman Years (German)

• Clarity
• Complexity
• Prudence