The history of science is a long unbroken chain of elaboration, deviation, and rectification, re-creation, followed by reassessment, renewed deviation and rectification, and renewed creation. It has been a long, arduous course, and we have hardly begun. Honest pioneer work in the field of science has always been and will continue to be, life’s pilot. On all sides, life is surrounded by hostility. This puts us under an obligation.
—Wilhelm Reich
Love, work and knowledge are the well-springs of our life. They should also govern it.
—Wilhelm Reich
The fact that political ideologies are tangible realities is not a proof of their vitally necessary character. The bubonic plague was an extraordinarily powerful social reality, but no one would have regarded it as vitally necessary.
—Wilhelm Reich
Topics: Government
The pleasure of living and the pleasure of the orgasm are identical. Extreme orgasm anxiety forms the basis of the general fear of life.
—Wilhelm Reich
Topics: Sex
Only the liberation of the natural capacity for love in human beings can master their sadistic destructiveness.
—Wilhelm Reich
Most intellectual people do not believe in God, but they fear him just the same.
—Wilhelm Reich
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Martin Buber Austrian Jewish Philosopher
Viktor Frankl Austrian Psychiatrist
Leon Trotsky Russian Revolutionary
Sidney Hook American Social Philosopher
Albert Einstein German-born Theoretical Physicist
Erich Fromm German Social Philosopher
Arthur Rubinstein American Pianist
Stephen Jay Gould American Paleontologist
Simon Wiesenthal Austrian Nazi-Hunter
Alfred Adler Austrian Psychiatrist