Quote by Walter Benjamin

He who asks fortune-tellers the future unwittingly forfeits an inner intimation of coming events that is a thousand times more exact than anything they may say. He is impelled by inertia, rather than curiosity, and nothing is more unlike the submissive apathy with which he hears his fate revealed than the alert dexterity with which the man of courage lays hands on the future.

He who asks fortune-tellers the future unwittingly forfeits

Summary

This quote by Walter Benjamin emphasizes the idea that relying on fortune-tellers to predict the future diminishes our own innate abilities to sense and anticipate upcoming events. The quote suggests that seeking external predictions stems from a lack of curiosity and a passive acceptance of fate, contrasting sharply with the proactive approach of courageous individuals, who actively engage with the future and shape their own destiny. Benjamin argues that our own intuition and engagement with the world can provide us with far more accurate insights into what lies ahead than any fortune-teller can offer.

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By Walter Benjamin

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