there is here a striving, avid and worldly civilisation…
““there is here a striving, avid and worldly civilisation, of course; these huge and eager markets, to this incessant buying and selling, that make that self evident; but I had no conception of the ubiquitous sense of the holy, no notion of how another world can permeate the secular. Filth, stench, disease, "gross superstition" as our people say, extreme poverty, promiscuous universal defecation, do not affect it: nor do they affect my sense of humanity with which I am surrounded. What an agreeable city it is, where a man may walk around naked in the heat if it so please him””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Even amidst pervasive materialism and suffering, a deeper sense of the sacred persists, untouched by external filth.
In simple terms: Sacredness endures despite worldly decay.
Key Takeaway
Seek the holy beyond surface realities.
Themes
sacredness
materialism
humanity
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- urban exploration
- social work
- artistic creation
- community building
Key Concepts
philosophy
social critique
spiritual resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- What practices reveal the sacred in daily life?
- How do you balance material concerns with spiritual awareness?
A Different Perspective
Ignoring material hardship can be unrealistic.