The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliation and independent of influence.
Don DelilloRead
In the face of technology, everything becomes a little atavistic.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that advancements in technology can evoke primitive or ancient instincts within humans.
Don DeLillo's quote reflects on how the rapid pace of technological advancement can lead individuals to exhibit more primal or instinctual behaviors. As we become increasingly surrounded by technology, it may prompt us to revert to our basic human nature, contrasting the complexities and demands of modern life with the simplicity of our earlier existence. Essentially, in the face of innovation, our essential humanity and atavistic traits can surface, reminding us of our roots.
Themes
TechnologyAtavisticInstinctsHuman NatureModern Life
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about how smartphones influence our social behaviors.
More from Don Delillo
All quotes βWar is the form nostalgia takes when men are hard-pressed to say something good about their country.
Don DelilloRead
American writers ought to stand and live in the margins, and be more dangerous.
Don DelilloRead
For me, writing is a concentrated form of thinking.
Don DelilloRead
I used to think it was possible for an artist to alter the inner life of the culture. Now bomb-makers and gunmen have taken that territory.
Don DelilloRead
[I]n the American soul there is a lonely individual standing in a vast landscape. β¨He is either on a horse or driving a car, depending, and either way heβs carrying a gun. β¨This is one of the essential images in American mythology.
Don DelilloRead
Similar quotes
The steam-engine I call fire-demon and great; but it is nothing to the invention of fire.
Thomas CarlyleRead
Technology steers what 2 billion people are thinking and believing every day. It's possibly the largest source of influence over 2 billion people's thoughts that has ever been created. Religions and governments don't have that much influence over people's daily thoughts.
Tristan HarrisRead
A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you're not the customer. You're the product.
Tim CookRead
The future is green energy, sustainability, renewable energy.
Arnold SchwarzeneggerRead
One of the things I'm excited about is the observation that gamers are creators and creators are gamers too. We used to think of creators as workstation customers and think of gamers as consumers.
Jensen HuangRead
Technology is a tool, and it's a platform. Nobody gets arrested for being a blogger; people get arrested for dissent. Nobody gets arrested for putting information about themselves online; they get arrested for being an activist. I'm a strong believer in the fact that you should not blame the tools; you should blame the circumstances.
Jared CohenRead