"How frail a thing was human nature, how easily seduced, how easily self-betrayed!"
In context, this quote refers to Andrew Durant's distaste for the changes that have taken place in his personality and demeanor as a result of his military status. Durant has come to the realization that his behavior now provides the impetus for his thoughts. Durant has lost his human ability of free thought. His righteousness has been compromised and he has grown further and further from his true self.
With this said, I could not help but to decontextualize this quote and then relate it back to Andrew Durant. This line made me think of how often I want to do things, but I do not do them. Sometimes I fail act on my intuitions because I choose to do something else and at other times I deem my thoughts to be difficult to carry out. When doing this, I feel like I am betraying myself. I have a conscious desire to do something and I am not doing even though I am capable of doing it. Regardless of the reason for not doing it, I choose not to do it. This bothers me, but acting on every inkling of an idea or emotion would be difficult, and not to mention risky. I am trapped in a perpetual cycle of desire and discretion.
Andrew Durant is consciously aware of his changing self, but he does nothing to revert to his true self. However, Andrew Durant is not consciously choosing to become something else, it would just be too dangerous to act as he would like to. This makes me wonder, is human nature weak? Or, are human being strong enough to overcome impulsive urges to attain a stronger degree of gratification in the future?
In context, this quote refers to Andrew Durant's distaste for the changes that have taken place in his personality and demeanor as a result of his military status. Durant has come to the realization that his behavior now provides the impetus for his thoughts. Durant has lost his human ability of free thought. His righteousness has been compromised and he has grown further and further from his true self.
With this said, I could not help but to decontextualize this quote and then relate it back to Andrew Durant. This line made me think of how often I want to do things, but I do not do them. Sometimes I fail act on my intuitions because I choose to do something else and at other times I deem my thoughts to be difficult to carry out. When doing this, I feel like I am betraying myself. I have a conscious desire to do something and I am not doing even though I am capable of doing it. Regardless of the reason for not doing it, I choose not to do it. This bothers me, but acting on every inkling of an idea or emotion would be difficult, and not to mention risky. I am trapped in a perpetual cycle of desire and discretion.
Andrew Durant is consciously aware of his changing self, but he does nothing to revert to his true self. However, Andrew Durant is not consciously choosing to become something else, it would just be too dangerous to act as he would like to. This makes me wonder, is human nature weak? Or, are human being strong enough to overcome impulsive urges to attain a stronger degree of gratification in the future?