The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things. Henry David Thoreau
About This Quote

It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things. Despair, when not based in reality or when it is not based in reason, can lead people to their doom. When we think we have no other choice than to do something, we give up on living. The person who is prepared for the worst and who does their best by staying calm and having a plan will succeed much more than the person who jumps into dire situations without a plan or without any preparation at all. When we do desperate things we show our desperation and we lose sight of what is really important and what we really should be doing in this world.

Source: Civil Disobedience And Other Essays

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  1. The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed...
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