Sublime

the “death instinct,” which he saw as a “compulsion inherent in organic life to restore an earlier state of things.”

No person is free who is tied to a defensive position. This is true of the neurotic character who erects psychological walls and armors himself muscularly as a protection against possible hurt, only to find that the hurt he feared is locked into his being by this very process.

When guilt or shame are attached to feelings, the conflict is internalized and creates a neurotic character.

When one stops struggling against fate, one loses his neurosis (internal conflict) and gains peace of mind.

Strangely, through the acceptance of failure, we become free from our neurosis.