Full Idea
Fichte placed emphasis on human spontaneity, on nothing 'counting' for us unless we somehow bestowed some kind of status on it.
Gist of Idea
Fichte's idea of spontaneity implied that nothing counts unless we give it status
Source
report of Johann Fichte (The Science of Knowing (Wissenschaftslehre) [1st ed] [1794]) by Terry Pinkard - German Philosophy 1760-1860 06
Book Reference
Pinkard,Terry: 'German Philosophy 1760-1860' [CUP 2002], p.134
A Reaction
This idea evidentally arises from Kant's account of thought. Pinkard says this idea inspired the early Romantics. I would have thought the drive to exist (Spinoza's conatus) would make things count whether we liked it or not.