Then came human beings, they wanted to cling but there was nothing to cling to. Thus I progressed on the surface of life, in the realm of words as it were, never in reality. All those books barely read, those friends barely loved, those cities barely visited, those women barely possessed! I went through the gestures out of boredom or absent-mindedness. Then came the human beings, they wanted to cling, but there was nothing to cling to, and that was unfortunate - for them. As for me, I forgot. I never remembered anything but myself.

Summary

In this quote, the author expresses a sense of detachment from life experiences and relationships. They describe going through the motions without genuine engagement or connection. The phrase "never in reality" suggests that they primarily lived in a world of words and thoughts rather than fully immersing themselves in tangible experiences. The repetition of the statement about human beings wanting to cling but lacking something to cling to implies a missed opportunity for meaningful relationships and connections for those people. Meanwhile, the author confesses to a self-centered perspective, noting their own tendency to forget everything except their own existence.