All art really does is keep you focused on questions of humanity, and it really is about how do we get on with our maker.
I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for the visual in religious rituals, though, even though they may be completely empty and bereft of substance. The incense is powerful and provocative, whether Buddhist or Catholic.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a sense of wonder about the universe while questioning the existence of a higher intelligence, emphasizing the significance of ritualistic visuals.
David Bowie expresses a deep admiration for the universe, showcasing his awe without committing to the belief in an intelligent creator. He appreciates the beauty and sensory impact of religious rituals, acknowledging their ability to evoke strong feelings despite recognizing them as potentially lacking true substance. This duality highlights the tension between the search for meaning and the appreciation of aesthetic experiences in spirituality.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about spirituality vs. science, this quote can exemplify a balanced perspective on belief.
More from David Bowie
All quotes βI guess, taking away all the theatrics or the costuming and the outer layers of what I do, I'm a writer... I write.
I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human.
Nothing prepared me for your smile
But I've got to think of myself as the luckiest guy. Robert Johnson only had one album's worth of work as his legacy. That's all that life allowed him.
I'm an early riser. I get up between five and six, have coffee, and read for a couple of hours before everyone else gets up.
Similar quotes
I am no more lonely than a single mullein or dandelion in a pasture, or a bean leaf, or sorrel, or a horse-fly, or a bumblebee. I am no more lonely than the Mill Brook, or a weathercock, or the north star, or the south wind, or an April shower, or a January thaw, or the first spider in a new house.
Bring down the curtain, the farce is over
Hal, if I tell thee a lie, spit in my face, call me horse.
It seems to me that terrestrial beings, as they become more autonomous, psychologically richer, shut themselves up in a way against one another, and at the same time gradually become strangers to the cosmic environment and currents, impenetrable to one another, and incapable of exteriorizing themselves.
No one told these American soldiers they might be shot down by bullets made by their own brothers here. No one told them that the ships on which they were going to cross might be torpedoed by submarines built with US patents.
America - a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose.