[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fq6ZUpRkY9qVGJ1NXAcXxi3BMwqzXCNwCuHtfrzu4Ab4":3,"$f31NNG11CjmJQzhzk8Jg9VqPiULGPIgg1AzJywvMQgU4":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},60735,"Stephen Spender","S",81,null,"stephen-spender",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":78},[14,22,29,35,41,48,54,60,66,72],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},3952418,"There is a certain justice in criticism. The critic is like a midwife - a tyrannical midwife.",7,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":26,"source":27,"quote_tag":28,"commentary":9},3444995,"So i learned both to accept myself and to aim beyond myself.",6,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":30,"quote_text":31,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":32,"source":33,"quote_tag":34,"commentary":9},3444989,"When you read and understand a poem, then you master chaos a little.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":9},3444983,"What the eye delights in, no longer dictates My greed to enjoy: boys, grass, the fenced-off deer. It leaves those figures that distantly play On the horizon’s rim: they sign their peace, in games.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":42,"quote_text":43,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":44,"source":45,"quote_tag":46,"commentary":47},3444964,"Cult: simply an extension of the idea that everyone’s supreme aim in life is self- fulfillment and happiness and that one is entitled to wreck marriage, children and certainly one’s health and sanity in pursuit of this.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nStephen Spender, a British poet and critic, wrote this quote in the context of his observations on modern society in the mid-20th century. During this time, Spender was grappling with the existential and social implications of post-war culture, where the pursuit of individual happiness and self-fulfillment was increasingly emphasized. His critique of the cult mentality reflects his concerns about the consequences of prioritizing personal satisfaction above all else.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound paradox: the relentless pursuit of happiness and self-fulfillment can lead to the very opposite of fulfillment, as individuals become consumed by their own desires and neglect the well-being of those around them. This tension highlights the inherent contradictions in modern Western culture, where the values of individualism and self-expression often conflict with the need for community, responsibility, and selflessness.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this insight to your own life, recognize that the relentless pursuit of happiness can sometimes be a form of self-deception, leading you to prioritize your own desires over the needs and well-being of others. By acknowledging this paradox, you can cultivate a more nuanced approach to personal fulfillment, one that balances your own needs with a sense of responsibility and interconnectedness with others.",{"id":49,"quote_text":50,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":51,"source":52,"quote_tag":53,"commentary":9},3444952,"I’m struggling at the end to get out of the valley of hectoring youth, journalistic middle age, imposture, moneymaking, public relations, bad writing, mental confusion.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":55,"quote_text":56,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":57,"source":58,"quote_tag":59,"commentary":9},3444947,"Paul Valery speaks of the ‘une ligne donnee’ of a poem. One line is given to the poet by God or by nature, the rest he has to discover for himself.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":61,"quote_text":62,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":63,"source":64,"quote_tag":65,"commentary":9},3444943,"There is a certain justice in criticism. The critic is like a midwife – a tyrannical midwife.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":67,"quote_text":68,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":69,"source":70,"quote_tag":71,"commentary":9},3444935,"I think of those who were truly great. The names of those who in their lives fought for life, Who wore at their hearts the fire’s center.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":73,"quote_text":74,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":18,"author":75,"source":76,"quote_tag":77,"commentary":9},3444923,"Bright clasp of her whole hand around my finger My daughter as we walk together now. All my life I’ll feel a ring invisibly Circle this bone with shining When she is grown.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":79,"totalPages":80,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":81},1,9,10]