It sounds to me, young one," Haddek said, "that you are searching for something that cannot be found." "The truth?" Sazed said. "No," Haddek replied. "A religion that requires no faith of its believers.
Brandon SandersonRead
My job is not to save 'The Wheel of Time', to fix 'The Wheel of Time', or anything like that. My job is not to screw it up.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker emphasizes the importance of not disrupting a complex system rather than attempting to change or save it.
In this quote, Brandon Sanderson articulates the idea that sometimes the best approach to a complex situation or narrative, like 'The Wheel of Time', is to maintain its integrity rather than imposing one's own changes or fixes. This reflects a broader philosophy about the value of preservation over alteration, suggesting that one should be cautious in their actions, especially when dealing with established structures or narratives.
Themes
PreservationPhilosophyStorytellingIntegrityComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on literary adaptations, I quoted Sanderson to emphasize the importance of honoring the original material.
More from Brandon Sanderson
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God is the creator of all things, right? He is the force that dictates the laws of the universe, and is therefore the ultimate source of ethics. He is absolute morality... We claim to be doing good. But the Lord Ruler - as God - defines what is good. So by opposing him we're actually evil. But since he's doing the wrong thing, does evil actually count as good in this case?
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There has to be a balance, Vin," Elend said. "Somehow, we'll find it. The balance between whom we wish to be and whom we need to be." He sighed. "But for now," he said, nodding to the side, "we simply have to be satisfied with who we are.
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At first glance, the key and the lock it fits may seem very different," Sazed said. "Different in shape, different in function, different in design. The man who looks at them without knowledge of their true nature might think them opposites, for one is meant to open, and the other to keep closed. Yet, upon closer examination he might see that without one, the other becomes useless. The wise man then sees that both lock and key were created for the same purpose.
Brandon SandersonRead
Every action we take has consequences, Vin," Kelsier said. "I've found that in both Allomancy and life, the person who can best judge the consequences of their actions will be the most successful.
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