He had read much of things as they are, and talked with…
““He had read much of things as they are, and talked with too many people. Well-meaning philosophers had taught him to look into the logical relations of things, and analyse the processes which shaped his thoughts and fancies. Wonder had gone away, and he had forgotten that all life is only a set of pictures in the brain, among which there is no difference betwixt those born of real things and those born of inward dreamings, and no cause to value the one above the other. Custom had dinned into his ears a superstitious reverence for that which tangibly and physically exists, and had made him secretly ashamed to dwell in visions. Wise men told him his simple fancies were inane and childish, and even more absurd because their actors persist in fancying them full of meaning and purpose as the blind cosmos grinds aimlessly on from nothing to something and from something back to nothing again, neither heeding nor knowing the wishes or existence of the minds that flicker for a second now and then in the darkness””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage critiques how rational analysis and societal expectations suppress imagination, treating visions as inferior to tangible reality, and highlights the futility of seeking meaning in a chaotic universe.
In simple terms: Rationalism dampens imagination and devalues dreams.
Key Takeaway
Embrace both reason and wonder.
Themes
philosophy
imagination
skepticism
existentialism
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- creative writing
- personal reflection
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
dualism
subjectivity
meaninglessness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance logical analysis with creative imagination?
- What role do dreams play in understanding reality?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the value of intuition and emotional insight.