--- title: "4 Gestures Quotes By Milan Kundera" description: "4 Gestures quotes by Milan Kundera. Plus more from Milan Kundera and more Gestures sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/milan-kundera-120_bathing-suits_because-beyond-their-practical-function_1617372.jpg" --- > [Because beyond their practical function, all gestures have a meaning that exceeds the intention of those who make them; when people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/because-beyond-their-practical-function-all-gestures-have-a-meaning/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/milan-kundera-120_bathing-suits_because-beyond-their-practical-function_1617372.jpg) > [A gesture cannot be regarded as the expression of an individual, as his creation (because no individual is capable of creating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/a-gesture-cannot-be-regarded-as-the-expression-of-an-individual-as/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/milan-kundera-120_belonging_a-gesture-cannot-be-regarded-as-the-expr_1633195.jpg) > [Without the meditative background that is criticism, works become isolated gestures, historical accidents, soon forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/without-the-meditative-background-that-is-criticism-works-become/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/milan-kundera-120_accidents_without-the-meditative-background-that-i_2557587.jpg) > [If our planet has seen some eighty billion people it is difficult to suppose hat every individual has had his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/if-our-planet-has-seen-some-eighty-billion-people-it-is-difficult-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/milan-kundera-120_aphorism_if-our-planet-has-seen-some-eighty-billi_3133760.jpg) ## Other authors on Gestures - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-cassandra-clare-21529.jpg) Cassandra Clare 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/cassandra-clare/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-garth-stein-36910.jpg) Garth Stein 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/garth-stein/) ## More by Milan Kundera > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/beauty-in-the-european-sense-has-always-had-a-premeditated-quality-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The beauty of New York is unintentional; it arose independent of human design, like a stalagmite cavern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-beauty-of-new-york-is-unintentional-it-arose-independent-of-human/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Children, Never look Back!" and this meant that we must never allow the future to be weighed down by memory . for children have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/children-never-look-back-and-this-meant-that-we-must-never-allow-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Our lives may be separate, but they run in the same direction, like parallel lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/our-lives-may-be-separate-but-they-run-in-the-same-direction-like/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Having a child is to show an absolute accord with mankind. If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He remained annoyed with himself until he realized that not knowing what he wanted was actually quite natural. We can never know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/he-remained-annoyed-with-himself-until-he-realized-that-not-knowing/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-we-ignore-the-body-we-are-more-easily-victimized-by-it/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Do stories, apart from happening, being, have something to say? For all my skepticism, some trace of irrational superstition did survive in me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/do-stories-apart-from-happening-being-have-something-to-say-for-all/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Os extremos delimitam a fronteira para além da qual a vida termina, e a paixão pelo extremismo, tanto em arte como em política, é…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/os-extremos-delimitam-a-fronteira-para-al-m-da-qual-a-vida-termina-e/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/#itemlist", "name": "4 Gestures Quotes By Milan Kundera", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Because beyond their practical function, all gestures have a meaning that exceeds the intention of those who make them; when people in bathing suits fling themselves into the water, it is joy itself that shows in the gesture, notwithstanding any sadness the divers may actually feel. When someone jumps into the water fully clothed, it is another thing entirely: the only person who jumps into the water fully clothed is a person trying to drown; and a person trying to drown does not dive headfirst; he lets himself fall: thus speaks the immemorial language of gestures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milan Kundera" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/because-beyond-their-practical-function-all-gestures-have-a-meaning/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/milan-kundera-120_bathing-suits_because-beyond-their-practical-function_1617372.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/milan-kundera-120_bathing-suits_because-beyond-their-practical-function_1617372.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/milan-kundera-120_bathing-suits_because-beyond-their-practical-function_1617372.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because beyond their practical function, all gestures have a meaning that exceeds the intention of those who…” — Milan Kundera", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A gesture cannot be regarded as the expression of an individual, as his creation (because no individual is capable of creating a fully original gesture, belonging to nobody else), nor can it even be regarded as that person's instrument; on the contrary, it is gestures that use us as their instruments, as their bearers and incarnations", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milan Kundera" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/a-gesture-cannot-be-regarded-as-the-expression-of-an-individual-as/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/milan-kundera-120_belonging_a-gesture-cannot-be-regarded-as-the-expr_1633195.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/milan-kundera-120_belonging_a-gesture-cannot-be-regarded-as-the-expr_1633195.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/milan-kundera-120_belonging_a-gesture-cannot-be-regarded-as-the-expr_1633195.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A gesture cannot be regarded as the expression of an individual, as his creation (because no individual is…” — Milan Kundera", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Without the meditative background that is criticism, works become isolated gestures, historical accidents, soon forgotten.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milan Kundera" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/without-the-meditative-background-that-is-criticism-works-become/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/milan-kundera-120_accidents_without-the-meditative-background-that-i_2557587.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/milan-kundera-120_accidents_without-the-meditative-background-that-i_2557587.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d07/milan-kundera-120_accidents_without-the-meditative-background-that-i_2557587.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Without the meditative background that is criticism, works become isolated gestures, historical accidents…” — Milan Kundera", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If our planet has seen some eighty billion people it is difficult to suppose hat every individual has had his or her own repertory of gestures. Arithmetically, it is simply impossible. Without the slightest doubt, there are far fewer gestures in the world than there are individuals. That finding leads us to a shocking conclusion: a gesture is more individual than an individual. We could put it in the form of an aphorism: many people, few gestures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milan Kundera" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/if-our-planet-has-seen-some-eighty-billion-people-it-is-difficult-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/milan-kundera-120_aphorism_if-our-planet-has-seen-some-eighty-billi_3133760.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/milan-kundera-120_aphorism_if-our-planet-has-seen-some-eighty-billi_3133760.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/milan-kundera-120_aphorism_if-our-planet-has-seen-some-eighty-billi_3133760.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If our planet has seen some eighty billion people it is difficult to suppose hat every individual has had…” — Milan Kundera", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/", "name": "Gestures Quotes by Milan Kundera", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/milan-kundera-120_bathing-suits_because-beyond-their-practical-function_1617372.jpg" }, "description": "4 Gestures quotes by Milan Kundera. Plus more from Milan Kundera and more Gestures sayings from other authors.", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/#breadcrumb" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Topics", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Gestures", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "Milan Kundera", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/milan-kundera/" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```