In their field they [mathematicians] do what we ought to be doing in ours. Therein lies the significant lesson ... of their existence. They are an analogy for the intellectual of the future. Robert Musil More Quotes by Robert Musil More Quotes From Robert Musil And what would you do, ... if you could rule the world for a day? I suppose I would have no choice but to abolish reality. Robert Musil choices reality world Philosophers are people who do violence, but have no army at their disposal, and so subjugate the world by locking it into a system. Robert Musil army people world ... for the modern soul, for which it is mere child's play to bridge oceans and continents, there is nothing so impossible as to find the contact with the souls dwelling just around the corner. Robert Musil ocean bridges children Stupidity is active in every direction, and can dress up in all the clothes of truth. Truth, on the other hand, has for every occasion only one dress and one path, and is always at a disadvantage. Robert Musil clothes stupidity hands ... we engage in politics because we don't know anything. This is clearly revealed in the way we go about it. Our parties exist from a fear of theory. The voter fears that one idea can always be contradicted by another. Therefore the parties reciprocally defend themselves against the few old ideas they have inherited. They don't live from what they promise, but from frustrating the promises of others. This is their silent community of interests. Robert Musil community party ideas One does what one is; one becomes what one does. Robert Musil doe A politician who climbs high over the bodies of the slain is described as vile or great according to the degree of his success. Robert Musil degrees politician body If there is a sense of reality, there must also be a sense of possibility. Robert Musil possibility ifs reality Mathematics is the source of a wicked intellect that, while making man the lord of the earth, also makes him the slave of the machine. Robert Musil wicked earth men The difference between a healthy person and one who is mentally ill is the fact that the healthy one has all the mentall illnesses, and the mentally ill person has only one. Robert Musil differences healthy facts The thought is not something that observes an inner event, but, rather it is this inner event itself. We do not reflect on something, but, rather, something thinks itself in us. Robert Musil events thinking One must conform to the baseness of an age or become neurotic. Robert Musil baseness conform age True' and 'false' are the evasions of people who never want to arrive at a decision. Truth is something without end. Robert Musil true-and-false decision people Progress would be wonderful - if only it would stop. Robert Musil progress would-be wonderful ... there is a particular propensity in the world for people, wherever they appear in great numbers, to permit themselves collectively everything that would be forbidden them individually. Robert Musil temptation numbers people Life is to blame for everything. Robert Musil blame life-is I also believe that few people remain completely untouched by the thought that instead of the life they lead there might also be another, where all actions proceed from a very personal state of excitement. Where actions have meanings, not just causes. And where a person, to use a trivial word, is happy, and not just nervously tormenting himself. Robert Musil happiness life believe Life forms a surface that acts as if it could not be otherwise, but under its skin things are pounding and pulsing. Robert Musil surface form skins Layer by layer art strips life bare. Robert Musil layers art It's not the genius who is 100 years ahead of his time but average man who is 100 years behind it. Robert Musil average men years
