The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity.
Umberto EcoRead
There are more books in the world than hours in which to read them. We are thus deeply influenced by books we haven't read, that we haven't had the time to read.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The sheer volume of unread books impacts our thoughts and perceptions.
Umberto Eco expresses the idea that the vast number of books available far exceeds the time we have to read them. This abundance shapes our understanding and influences us in profound ways, even if we are unaware of the specific contents of those unread books. It highlights the significance of literature and knowledge in shaping our worldview, regardless of direct engagement.
Themes
BooksReadingInfluenceKnowledgeLiterature
In practice
Example use cases
In a book club discussion, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of literature in shaping ideas.
More from Umberto Eco
All quotes →I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early poetry, and bad poets publish it. Thankfully I gave up rather quickly.
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But why do some people support [the heretics]?" "Because it serves their purposes, which concern the faith rarely, and more often the conquest of power." "Is that why the church of Rome accuses all its adversaries of heresy?" "That is why, and that is also why it recognizes as orthodoxy any heresy it can bring back under its own control or must accept because the heresy has become too strong.
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You die, but most of what you have accumulated will not be lost; you are leaving a message in a bottle.
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"Then we are living in a place abandoned by God," I said, disheartened. "Have you found any places where God would have felt at home?" William asked me, looking down from his great height.
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The lunatic is all idée fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars.
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