The quote suggests that lust plays a fundamental role in human passions similar to how nervous fluid sustains life. Lust serves as a foundational force, providing energy and drive to various other emotional states and behaviors. It implies that without lust, many aspects of human behavior would lose their vigor.
By delving deeper into the meaning of this statement, we can understand that de Sade is making a provocative assertion about the core motivations behind human actions and desires. Lust, according to him, fuels not only romantic or sexual desire but also more complex emotions like ambition, cruelty, and greed. This implies that these seemingly unrelated passions share a common underlying current of lust. For example, someone driven by ambition might seek power for the sake of sexual gratification or personal pleasure, while an individual motivated by revenge could be subconsciously seeking to alleviate feelings of desire that stem from past rejections or unfulfilled wishes.
The Marquis de Sade was a controversial French nobleman and writer born in 1740. He is best known for his works exploring the extremes of human sexuality, often incorporating elements of violence and sadism. His writings, which were largely banned during his lifetime due to their provocative nature, have since been studied for both their literary merit and philosophical insights into human psychology and morality.
