"The instinct of nearly all societies is to lock up anybody who is truly free. First, society begins by trying to beat you up. If this fails, they try to poison you. If this fails too, the finish by loading honors on your head."

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Insight & Reflection

This reflection on motivation by Jean Cocteau resonates across generations. It highlights a fundamental truth about human nature: our continuous search for meaning in motivation is what ultimately defines our character and our path forward.

About Jean Cocteau

Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost avant-garde artists of the 20th century and highly influential on the Surrealist and Dadaist movements, among others. The National Observer suggested that "of the artistic generation whose daring gave birth to Twentieth Century Art, Cocteau came closest to being a Renaissance man".

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.