It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
I remember going to university, and the people who'd left home for the first time looked at the food and were horrified. Whereas, my view was that if it was vaguely edible, then it's fine.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights different perspectives on adapting to new experiences, particularly in college life.
Alain De Botton's quote reflects the contrasting attitudes of students adjusting to university life, particularly regarding food. Some individuals, who are experiencing independence for the first time, find the food unappetizing and shocking, while others, like the speaker, have a more pragmatic and accepting view, suggesting that adaptability is key when faced with new situations.
Themes
UniversityAdaptationPerspectiveFoodIndependenceExperience
In practice
Example use cases
During an orientation session to encourage students to embrace new experiences.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes →Taking architecture seriously therefore makes some singular and strenuous demands upon us...It means conceding that we are inconveniently vulnerable to the colour of our wallpaper and that our sense of purpose may be derailed by an unfortunate bedspread
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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The challenge of modern relationships: how to prove more interesting than the other's smartphone.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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