The way to see what looks good and understand the reasons it looks good, and to be at one with this goodness as the work proceeds, is to cultivate an inner quietness, a peace of mind so that goodness can shine through.
Robert M. PirsigRead
I've wondered why it took us so long to catch on. We saw it, and yet we didn't see it. Or rather we were trained not to see it. Conned perhaps into thinking that the real action was metropolitan and all this was just boring hinterland. It was a puzzling thing. The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away. I'm looking for the truth." And so it goes away. Puzzling.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on human perception and how societal expectations can blind us to deeper truths.
Robert M. Pirsig explores the idea that people often overlook significant truths that are right in front of them because they have been conditioned to prioritize certain experiences or truths over others. He suggests that the pursuit of what is commonly accepted as 'real' can lead us to ignore deeper realities, ultimately leading to confusion and a failure to recognize what truly matters.
Themes
TruthPerceptionAwarenessSocietyReality
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about societal norms and how they shape our understanding of reality.
More from Robert M. Pirsig
All quotes →When analytic thought, the knife, is applied to experience, something is always killed in the process.
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The Buddha resides as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain.
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It's better not to see than to see wrongly.
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The truth knocks on the door and you say, go away, I'm looking for the truth, and it goes away. Puzzling.
Robert M. PirsigRead
You want to know how to paint a perfect painting? It's easy. Make yourself perfect and then just paint naturally.
Robert M. PirsigRead
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