The strange power of art is sometimes it can show that what people have in common is more urgent than what differentiates them. It seems to me it's something that theatre can do, but it's rare; it's very rare.
John BergerRead
We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that our perception is shaped by the relationships we observe between objects and ourselves.
John Berger's quote emphasizes the idea that human perception is inherently relational; we do not see objects in isolation, but rather interpret them in the context of our interactions and connections. This insight invites us to consider how our understanding of the world is influenced by the dynamics between ourselves and the things we observe, highlighting the complexity of perception and the interconnectedness of experiences.
Themes
PerceptionRelationContextInterconnectednessUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on art, I might reference this quote to underline how our interpretations are formed by our experiences and perceptions.
More from John Berger
All quotes →Unlike any other visual image, a photograph is not a rendering, an imitation or an interpretation of its subject, but actually a trace of it. No painting or drawing, however naturalist, belongs to its subject in the way that a photograph does.
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The camera relieves us of the burden of memory. It surveys us like God, and it surveys for us. Yet no other god has been so cynical, for the camera records in order to forget.
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Propaganda requires a permanent network of communication so that it can systematically stifle reflection with emotive or utopian slogans. Its pace is usually fast.
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Being a unique superpower undermines the military intelligence of strategy. To think strategically, one has to imagine oneself in the enemy's place. If one cannot do this, it is impossible to foresee, to take by surprise, to outflank. Misinterpreting an enemy can lead to defeat. This is how empires fall.
John BergerRead
Nothing in the nature around us is evil. This needs to be repeated since one of the human ways of talking oneself into inhuman acts is to cite the supposed cruelty of nature.
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