-But rational thoughts lead only to rational thoughts, whereas irrational thoughts lead to new experiences.
Alan LightmanRead
Who would fare better in this world of fitful time? Those who have seen the future and live only one life? Or those who have not seen the future and wait to live life? Or those who deny the future and live two lives?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote contrasts different perspectives on living life in relation to the future, suggesting that awareness influences one's experience of life.
Alan Lightman's quote explores the concept of how one's perception of the future shapes their approach to life. It implies that those who are aware of their future possibilities might live more fully, while those who neglect or deny the future may struggle with feelings of dissatisfaction or lead conflicted lives. The essence of the quote encourages reflection on how anticipation and denial of the future impact our understanding and enjoyment of the present.
Themes
FutureLifePerceptionLivingAwareness
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about embracing the future and planning ahead.
More from Alan Lightman
All quotes →In this world, there are two times. There is mechanical time and there is body time. The first is as rigid and metallic as a massive pendulum of iron that swings back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. The second squirms and wriggles like a bluefish in a bay. The first is unyielding, predetermined. The second makes up its mind as it goes along.
Alan LightmanRead
And at the place where time stands still, one sees lovers kissing in the shadows of buildings, in a frozen embrace that will never let go. The loved one will never take his arms from where they are now, will never give back the bracelet of memories, will never journey afar from his lover, will never place himself in danger of self-sacrifice, will never fail to show his love, will never become jealous, will never fall in love with someone else, will never lose the passion of this instant of time.
Alan LightmanRead
In a world without future, each moment is the end of the world.
Alan LightmanRead
The tragedy of this world is that everyone is alone. For a life in the past cannot be shared with the present.
Alan LightmanRead
Events, once happened, lose reality, alter with a glance, a storm, a night. In time, the past never happened. But who could know? Who could know that the past is not as solid as this instant.
Alan LightmanRead
Similar quotes
Fascism accepts the individual only insofar as his interests coincide with the state's.
Benito MussoliniRead
Worth seeing, yes; but not worth going to see.
Samuel JohnsonRead
Democracy is always a beckoning goal, not a safe harbor. For freedom is an unremitting endeavor, never a final achievement.
Felix FrankfurterRead
We live in a world which in some respects is mysterious; things can be experienced which remain inexplicable; not everything which happens can be anticipated. The unexpected and the incredible belong in this world. Only then is life whole. For me the world has from the beginning been infinite and ungraspable.
Carl JungRead
The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.
Francis BaconRead
A civilization is a heritage of beliefs, customs, and knowledge slowly accumulated in the course of centuries, elements difficult at times to justify by logic, but justifying themselves as paths when they lead somewhere, since they open up for man his inner distance.
Antoine De Saint-ExuperyRead