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Quote by W.N.P. Barbellion

Work

The Journal of a Disappointed Man

This book is a compilation of entries from a journal, chronicling the introspective journey of a man who has faced numerous setbacks and unmet aspirations. The entries offer a candid look into his emotional landscape, reflecting on his personal growth, struggles, and the search for meaning amidst his disappointments. more

Author

W.N.P. Barbellion
W.N.P. Barbellion

W.N.P. Barbellion was an English diarist known for his unique diary-style works. His writings delved deeply into the relationship between the individual and society, as well as profound insights into nature and life. Barbellion's life was short, but his words left a lasting impression. more

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“I recall the way an old history professor of mine defined poverty: He said the poor are the ones who can never afford to have any bad luck. They can’t get an infection because they don’t have access to any medicine. They can’t get sick or miss their bus or get injured because they will lose their menial labor job if they don’t show up for work. They can’t misplace their pocket change because it’s actually the only money they have left for food. They can’t have their goats get sick because it’s the only source of milk they have. On and on it goes. Of course, the bad news is, everybody has bad luck. It’s just that most of us have margins of resources and access to support that allow us to weather the storm, because we’re not trying to live off $2.00 a day.”

“You are beautiful, but you are empty. One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you --- the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars; because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or bloated, or even sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.”

“Personally, I would be ashamed to be rich and have precious and expensive goods only to show to the other people that I have more worth than them when in some parts of the world there are people who suffer. No one has more worth than anyone. Everyone can be worthy if he has conditions in his life that enable him to reclaim his values. Worth lies in culture, not in appearance and possession. Besides, every person has his own mission in this world and everyone is valuable.”