Man's great misfortune is that he has no organ, no kind of eyelid or brake, to mask or block a thought, or all thought, when he wants to.

Summary

This quote suggests that human beings lack a mechanism to control their thoughts. Unlike an eyelid that can close or a brake that can stop motion, we are incapable of instantly halting or diverting our thoughts at will. The absence of such an ability is referred to as a great misfortune because it highlights our vulnerability to intrusive or unwanted thoughts, often leading to overthinking or internal conflicts. We are at the mercy of our unbridled thinking process, unable to easily shield ourselves from distractions and disturbances that may arise within our minds.