"The essence of man is, discontent, divine discontent; a sort of love without a beloved, the ache we feel in a member we no longer have"
- Jose Ortega Y Gasset
About this Quote
Jose Ortega Y Gasset's quote speaks with the fundamental nature of humanity, which is discontent. This discontent is not a negative feeling, however rather a divine discontent, a longing for something greater. It is a love without a beloved, a feeling of incompleteness that can never ever be totally satisfied. This is the ache we feel in our hearts when we are missing something, or when we have lost something that was as soon as essential to us. It is a tip that we are always searching for something more, something that will bring us closer to our true selves. This divine discontent is a part of our human experience, and it is what drives us to look for new experiences and to strive for a better life. It is a tip that we are never truly content, and that we should always strive to reach our highest capacity.