Tag: Quotations

[Cross-Post] Beyond Cleaning Your Room: Chaos, Clarity, and Self-Worth

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Who would’ve thought that an AI-generated voice of Jordan Peterson would inspire me? At least, I think it’s AI—there are several videos of him discussing attachment theory, just like there are of Mel Robbins. I haven’t listened to him in years, not since I followed the alt-right. And yet, here I am, drawn back, not by ideology, but by something deeper—an idea that resonated.

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Personal: Finding a Better Home for My Poetry

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

I’ve moved most of my poetry to Tumblr for more flexibility—Medium’s daily limits were too restrictive. Over half is already transferred, and formatting feels much easier. I’ll continue posting poetry on my personal site alongside personal stories, though I’m not sharing the link since those posts are deeply personal and part of my process of working through past experiences. Some of my more vulnerable poems haven’t made the move to Tumblr or Medium—I still prefer to keep them in a quieter space for now.

It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Who said, “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward”?

The phrase “It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward” is often attributed to Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary leader. He used a similar concept when discussing strategic retreats in politics and revolutionary movements. The idea emphasizes the importance of making temporary concessions or setbacks in order to achieve greater progress in the long run.

What work of Lenin’s is this from?

The concept of taking a step backward to take two steps forward is associated with Lenin’s 1904 pamphlet titled “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” (“Шаг вперед, два шага назад”).

However, the phrase itself is somewhat reversed from the popular saying. In his pamphlet, Lenin was critiquing the internal disputes within the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP) and addressing what he saw as a setback in the revolutionary movement. The idea he conveyed was that a temporary retreat or setback could ultimately lead to a stronger and more unified movement.

The more popular version of the phrase, emphasizing a temporary step back to move forward, likely evolved from this original concept rather than being a direct quote.

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