"No man lives without jostling and being jostled; in all ways he has to elbow himself through the world, giving and receiving offence"
- Thomas Carlyle
About this Quote
This quote by Thomas Carlyle speaks to the concept that life is a battle. No matter who we are, all of us have to battle our way through life, pressing and pushing our method through the world. We all have to make our own method, and in doing so, we will undoubtedly cause offense to others and be angered ourselves. This is an unavoidable part of life, and it is something that we must accept and find out to navigate. We need to find out to be assertive and stand up for ourselves, while likewise being mindful of the sensations of others. We should learn to be resistant and not take offence too easily, while also being aware of when we are triggering offence to others. Life is a consistent fight, and we should discover to browse it with grace and understanding.