We took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all.
Kazuo IshiguroRead
We all live inside bodies that will deteriorate. But when you look at human beings, they're capable of very decent things: love, loyalty. When time is running out, they don't care about possessions or status. They want to put things right if they've done wrong.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human beings prioritize meaningful relationships and moral choices over material possessions as time runs out.
In this quote, Kazuo Ishiguro reflects on the transient nature of human life and the physical deterioration of our bodies. Despite this reality, he emphasizes the inherent capacity of individuals to engage in noble actions such as love and loyalty, suggesting that in the face of mortality, people often seek to reconcile their past mistakes and focus on what truly matters, rather than clinging to their material belongings or societal status.
Themes
LifeRelationshipsMortalityLoveLoyaltyValues
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of community service and personal integrity.
More from Kazuo Ishiguro
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Screenplays I didn't really care about, journalism, travel books, getting my writer friends to write about their dreams or something. I just determined to write the books I had to write.
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