Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
Edward AbbeyRead
A critic is to an author as a fungus to an oak.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Critics can often be detrimental to creators, much like fungi can harm trees.
This quote by Edward Abbey metaphorically compares critics to fungi that can attach themselves to an oak tree, suggesting that critics may provide unsolicited commentary or negativity that can hinder the growth or success of authors. It emphasizes the idea that not all feedback is beneficial, and some critics may have a parasitic relationship with the artistic process, undermining the creator's efforts.
Themes
CriticAuthorFungusOakFeedback
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary discussion, one might use this quote to illustrate the challenges authors face.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes βI love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
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If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
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The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
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I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
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Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Edward AbbeyRead
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