It was vertigo. A heady, insuperable longing to fall. We might also call vertigo the intoxication of the weak. Aware of his weakness, a man decides to give in rather than stand up to it. He is drunk with weakness, wishes to grow even weaker, wishes to fall down in the middle of the main square in front of everybody, wishes to be down, lower than down." -Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, p. 76"
Milan Kundera's quote from "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" captures the essence of a profound and unsettling experience known as vertigo. This sensation embodies a deep desire to succumb to one's own frailty, reflecting an overwhelming urge to embrace weakness instead of resisting it. The realization of one's limitations leads to a state of intoxication where the individual longs to give in, rather than confront their vulnerabilities.
This longing for submission highlights a paradoxical strength and a deep-seated need for liberation through weakness. Kundera suggests that the act of yielding, of wanting to fall in a public space, represents a rejection of societal expectations. It emphasizes a complex relationship between strength and vulnerability, illustrating how the acceptance of one's own fragility can lead to a desire for an even deeper surrender to that feeling.
