Quotes About Desire

Let us provisionally define progress as "increasing control of the environment by life," and let us mean by environment "all the circumstances that condition the coordination and realization of desire." Progress is the domination of chaos by mind and purpose, of matter by form and will.

There is nevertheless a value in painting these pictures of our desire; man's significances is that he can image a better world, and will some part of it at least into reality; man is an animal that makes Utopias. (p.47/543)

Philosophy begins when one learns to doubt—particularly to doubt one's cherished beliefs, one's dogmas and one's axioms. Who knows how these cherished beliefs became certainties with us, and whether some secret wish did not furtively beget them, clothing desire in the dress of thought? There is no real philosophy until the mind turns round and examines itself. Gnothi seauton, said Socrates: Know thyself.

There is nevertheless a value in painting these pictures of our desire; man's significances is that he can image a better world, and will some part of it at least into reality; man is an animal that makes Utopias. (Chapter on Plato p.47/543)

only the man who is below the average in economic ability desires equality; those who are conscious of superior ability desire freedom; and in the end superior ability has its way.

Desire is infinite, fulfilment is limited

in both cases the desire for knowledge had ended bliss. Sophisticates

Only the man who is below the average in economic ability desires equality; those who are conscious of superior ability desire freedom.

we do not desire things because they give us pleasure; but they give us pleasure because we desire them;

O Rose, thou art sick. The invisible worm That flies in the night In the howling storm Has found out thy bed Of crimson joy, And his dark secret love Does thy life destroy.

The crow wished everything was black, the Owl, that everything was white.

Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained; and the restrainer or reason usurps its place & governs the unwilling. And being restrain'd it by degrees becomes passive till it is only the shadow of desire.

Sweet babe, in thy face Soft desires I can trace, Secret joys and secret smiles, Little pretty infant wiles.

IV   The bounded is loathed by its possessor. The same dull round even of a universe would soon become a mill with complicated wheels. V   If the many become the same as the few, when possess'd, More! More! is the cry of a mistaken soul, less than All cannot satisfy Man. VI   If any could desire what he is incapable of possessing, despair must be his eternal lot. VII   The desire of Man being Infinite the possession is Infinite & himself Infinite.

In a wife I would desire / What in whores is always found / The lineaments of gratified desire.

A flower was offered to me, Such a flower as May never bore; But I said I've a pretty rose tree, And I passed the sweet flower o'er. Then I went to my pretty rose tree, To tend her by day and by night; But my rose turned away with jealousy, And her thorns were my only delight.

Ah Sun-flower! weary of time, Who countest the steps of the Sun: Seeking after that sweet golden clime Where the traveller's journey is done. Where the Youth pined away with desire, And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow: Arise from their graves and aspire, Where my Sun-flower wishes to go.

none can desire what he has not perceiv'd.

Bring me my bow of burning gold Bring me my arrows of desire Bring me my spear— o'clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire

If any could desire what he is incapable of possessing, despair must be his eternal lot.

He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence.

His pains he soon forgot: Lured by her beauty outside of himself in shadowy grief. Two Wills they had; Two Intellects: & not as in times of old. Silent they wanderd hand in hand like two Infants wandring From Enion in the desarts, terrified at each others beauty Envying each other yet desiring, in all devouring Love

It's amazing how sudden the effect is - it must be the result of a deep atavistic mating urge buried inside us. A glance and you think: 'Yes, this is the one, this one is right for me.' Every instinct in your body seems to sing in unison.

I write - poignantly, in the most heartfelt way - about how I miss her and how I detest my life in this school and she responds with detailed plans for her future life as an archaeologist or philosopher or - new, this - a veterinary surgeon.