Quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

We often feel that we lack something, and seem to see that very quality in someone else, promptly attributing all our own qualities to him too, and a kind of ideal contentment as well. And so the happy mortal is a model of complete perfection--which we have ourselves created.

We often feel that we lack something, and seem to see that v

Summary

This quote reflects the tendency for individuals to project their own desires and ideals onto others. When we perceive someone as possessing qualities we feel we lack, we have a tendency to idealize them, imagining them to be not only perfect in those qualities but also content in their lives. In doing so, we create an idealized version of them that is a reflection of our own desires and aspirations, rather than an accurate representation of who they truly are. Therefore, the "happy mortal" becomes a model of perfection that is essentially a product of our own imagination.

Topics

Psychology

By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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