If you have the guts to be yourself, other people'll pay your price.
John UpdikeRead
Suddenly summoned to witness something great and horrendous, we keep fighting not to reduce it to our own smallness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the struggle against minimizing extraordinary experiences to fit our limited understanding.
John Updike emphasizes the human tendency to confront monumental events with the fear of trivializing them. The quote suggests that in the face of greatness or horror, we strive to resist the urge to simplify or diminish our experience, recognizing the vastness of what we witness and the importance of embracing it fully rather than filtering it through our small perspectives.
Themes
GreatnessHorrorPerceptionFightSmallness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about how we process trauma and significant events in our lives.
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