I was made for another planet altogether. I mistook the way - Simone de Beauvoir
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Have you ever felt like an outsider or questioned your place in the world?
This quote expresses a profound sense of alienation, a feeling of not quite fitting into the world as she experienced it, and a sense of having taken a wrong turn or misnavigated her path within that world.
“I was made for another planet altogether.”: This is the core of the sentiment. It speaks to a deep-seated feeling of otherness and incompatibility with the prevailing norms, values, and structures of her current reality. It suggests that her fundamental nature, her way of thinking, feeling, and being, is somehow out of sync with the dominant culture or even the human condition as she perceived it. It’s metaphorical expression of feeling like an outsider, a misfit, or someone whose true home lies in a different kind of existence, perhaps one with different rules or values.
“I mistook the way.”: This part adds a layer of regret, a sense of error, or a feeling of having gone astray. It implies that at some point, she might have made a decision, followed a path, or adopted a way of being that wasn’t truly aligned with her innate nature. This mistake suggests a journey where she might have tried to conform, followed societal expectations, or simply misunderstood the direction that would have led to a greater sense of belonging or fulfillment.
Possible interpretations and context
Intellectual and philosophical discontent: De Beauvoir was a brilliant and groundbreaking philosopher who often challenged societal norms, particularly regarding the roles of women. Her feeling of being “made for another planet” could stem from her intellectual and philosophical dissatisfaction with the limitations and injustices she observed in the world around her. Her mind and her vision might have felt too expansive or too radical for the constraints of her time.
Existential alienation: As a key figure in existentialism, de Beauvoir grappled with themes of freedom, responsibility, and the search for meaning in a seemingly absurd universe. The quote could reflect a deeper existential alienation, a sense of being fundamentally separate from the world and struggling to find her place within it.
Personal struggles and relationships: While a fiercely independent thinker, de Beauvoir also navigated complex personal relationships. The feeling of having “mistook the way” could relate to choices she made in her personal life, perhaps feeling that certain paths or relationships didn’t align with her true self or led to further feelings of being an outsider.
Burden of being a pioneer: As a woman forging her own intellectual and personal path in a male-dominated world, de Beauvoir likely experienced significant resistance and a sense of not fitting the mold. This could have contributed to the feeling of being “made for another planet” where her intellect and independence might have been more readily accepted.
Universal human experience: While deeply personal, the quote also touches upon a universal human experience – the feeling of not quite belonging, of having taken a wrong turn in life, or of sensing a fundamental disconnect between one’s inner self and the external world.
Sometimes we can feel displacement and a reflection on the possibility of having lived in a way that wasn’t fully congruent with our true essence. It speaks to the yearning for a different reality, one where we might have felt more at home, and a regret over a perceived misstep in our journey.
