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Robert Musil Quotes

Writer

Robert Musil, born on November 6, 1880, and died on April 15, 1942, was one of the greatest German novelists of the 20th century. He is renowned for his profound psychological portrayals and philosophical reflections in his works.

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Famous Robert Musil Quotes

“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.”

People Life Believe Persons States Use Might Action Happiness Causes Perception Excitement Life Happiness

Book:Precision and Soul: Essays and Addresses

Source: Precision and Soul: Essays and Addresses

“... 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.”

People World Would Be Numbers Human Nature Particular Temptation Permit Forbidden Propensity

Book:Precision and Soul: Essays and Addresses

Source: Precision and Soul: Essays and Addresses

“...love must be regarded as one of the religious and dangerous experiences, because it lifts people out of the arms of reason and sets them afloat with no ground under their feet.”

People Reason Religious Feet Dangerous Arms Lifts

Book:The Man Without Qualities: Picador Classic

Source: The Man Without Qualities: Picador Classic

“Hardly anyone still reads nowadays. People make use of the writer only in order to work off their own excess energy on him in a perverse manner, in the form of agreement or disagreement.”

People Stills Use Form Order Energy Agreement Excess Disagreement

Author:Robert Musil

“That the will of the people can be established by voting for democrats is, of course, a delusion. Yet when considering a non-threatening system for deciding between diverse interests, then voting, of course, can be regarded as a humane and civilized process.”

People Courses Process Interest Democracy Democrat Voting Delusion Civilized Diverse Considering Threatening Humane

Author:Robert Musil

“True' and 'false' are the evasions of people who never want to arrive at a decision. Truth is something without end.”

People Want Ends Decision Truth Is Evasion True And False

Book:The Man Without Qualities: Picador Classic

Source: The Man Without Qualities: Picador Classic

“Time, which runs through the world like an endless tinsel thread, seemed to pass through the centre of this room and through the centre of these people and suddenly to pause and petrify, stiff, still and glittering... and the objects in the room drew a little closer together.”

People World Littles Stills Running Together Rooms Objects Endless Thread Pauses Centre Glitter Tinsel

Book:Five Women

Source: Five Women

“Philosophers are people who do violence, but have no army at their disposal, and so subjugate the world by locking it into a system.”

People World Violence Army Philosopher

Author:Robert Musil

About the Author

Born: November 6, 1880
Died: April 15, 1942
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 112

Books & Sources

the Man Without QualitiesRelated source material

Precision and Soul: Essays and AddressesRelated source material

The Man Without Qualities: Picador ClassicRelated source material

Posthumous Papers of a Living AuthorRelated source material

The Man Without Qualities: Volume IRelated source material

Five WomenRelated source material

The Confusions of Young TörlessRelated source material

Der Mann ohne EigenschaftenRelated source material

Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften: Erstes BuchRelated source material

Die Verwirrungen des Zöglings TörleßRelated source material

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