It takes a wonderful brain and exquisite senses to produce a few stupid ideas.
George SantayanaRead
Wisdom comes by disillusionment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Wisdom often arises from facing harsh realities and overcoming illusions.
George Santayana's quote highlights the idea that true wisdom is not always easily gained; it often comes through the process of disillusionment. When we confront the truths that dismantle our previous misconceptions, we gain deeper insights and understanding about life, leading us to a more profound sense of wisdom.
Themes
WisdomDisillusionmentTruthUnderstandingKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech on personal growth, one might quote Santayana to emphasize the importance of understanding reality.
More from George Santayana
All quotes βThe working of great institutions is mainly the result of a vast mass of routine, petty malice, self interest, carelessness and sheer mistake. Only a residual fraction is thought.
George SantayanaRead
There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval. The dark background which death supplies brings out the tender colours of life in all their purity.
George SantayanaRead
Not to believe in love is a great sign of dullness. There are some people so indirect and lumbering that they think all real affection rests on circumstantial evidence.
George SantayanaRead
To feel beauty is a better thing than to understand how we come to feel it. To have imagination and taste, to love the best, to be carried by the contemplation of nature to a vivid faith in the ideal, all this is more, a great deal more, than any science can hope to be.
George SantayanaRead
The vital straining towards an ideal, definite but latent, when it dominates a whole life, may express that ideal more fully than could the best chosen words.
George SantayanaRead
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I have occasionally - if ever I do interviews that are difficult or nerve-wracking - I take my wife's dog tags and have them in my pocket because it's a very quick way to realize that what I'm doing is not that important. It's not really worth getting stressed about because it's not, you know, war.
John OliverRead
What do you want to avoid? Such an easy answer: sloth and unreliability. If you're unreliable it doesn't matter what your virtues are. You're going to crater immediately. Doing what you have faithfully engaged to do should be an automatic part of your conduct. You want to avoid sloth and unreliability.
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Within the heart of every person exists the flame of wisdom that transforms all suffering into kindling for the fire of creative energy.
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Not a law firm in the entire city of New York bid for my employment as a lawyer when I earned my degree.
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