--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greater part of human activity is…" description: "\"The greater part of human activity is designed to make permanent those experiences and joys which are only lovable because they are changing.\" — Alan W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg" --- # The greater part of human activity is designed to make… ![“The greater part of human activity is designed to make permanent those experiences and joys which are only lovable because they are changing.” quote by Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg) > “The greater part of human activity is designed to make permanent those experiences and joys which are only lovable because they are changing.” [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human activity seeks to preserve fleeting joys, which are cherished because they change. **In simple terms:** We try to hold onto changing pleasures. Key Takeaway Embrace impermanence. Themes impermanence joy human desire Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - memory keeping - art creation - relationship building - mindful practice Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What joys do you cling to? - How can acceptance of change improve wellbeing? A Different Perspective Attempting permanence can cause suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Experiences Joys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences-joys-5949449/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Human activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-activity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Lovable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovable/) [Lovable Changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovable-changing-5949448/) [Make Permanent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-permanent-2241830/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Permanent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent/) [Permanent Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent-experiences-5949447/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“words, you see," he said, looking at me again, "allow us to make permanent what is essentially transient.Turn a world filled with injustice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaddey-ratner/words-you-see-he-said-looking-at-me-again-allow-us-to-make-permanent/) [Vaddey Ratner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaddey-ratner/) > [If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problems and start focusing on the size of you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/if-you-want-to-make-a-permanent-change-stop-focusing-on-the-size-of-2/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problem and start focusing on the size of you..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-make-a-permanent-change-stop-focusing-on-the-size-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And that's it; that's why I want to teach; that's the one and only compensation: to make a permanent difference in the life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-kaufman/and-that-s-it-that-s-why-i-want-to-teach-that-s-the-one-and-only/) [Bel Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-kaufman/) > [Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/although-profoundly-inconsequential-the-zen-experience-has/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [You can make any human activity into meditation simply by being completely with it and doing it just to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/you-can-make-any-human-activity-into-meditation-simply-by-being/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [In science, as in art, and, as I believe, in every other sphere of human activity, there may be wisdom in a multitude of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/in-science-as-in-art-and-as-i-believe-in-every-other-sphere-of-human/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Architecture is a social act and the material theater of human activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-kostof/architecture-is-a-social-act-and-the-material-theater-of-human/) [Spiro Kostof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-kostof/) > [Perhaps the meaning of all human activity lies in the artistic consciousness, in the pointless and selfless creative act? Perhaps our capacity to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-the-meaning-of-all-human-activity-lies-in-the-artistic/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one's inwardness, for better or worse. As I teach I project the condition of my soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/teaching-like-any-truly-human-activity-emerges-from-one-s-inwardness/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [Science is perhaps the only human activity in which errors are systematically criticized and, in time, corrected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-perhaps-the-only-human-activity-in-which-errors-are/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Art is a human activity consisting in this, that one man consciously, by means of certain external signs, hands on to others feelings he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/art-is-a-human-activity-consisting-in-this-that-one-man-consciously/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [All human activities, professions, programs, and institutions must henceforth be judged primarily by the extent to which they inhibit, ignore, or foster a mutually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/all-human-activities-professions-programs-and-institutions-must/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [All human activity is prompted by desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-human-activity-is-prompted-by-desire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[On Cantor's work:\] The finest product of mathematical genius and one of the supreme achievements of purely intellectual human activity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/on-cantor-s-work-the-finest-product-of-mathematical-genius-and-one-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## More by Alan Watts > [“The self-conscious feedback mechanism of the cortex allows us the hallucination that we are two souls in one body -a rational soul and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-self-conscious-feedback-mechanism-of-the-cortex-allows-us-the/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The more we try to catch hold of the present moment the more elusive it becomes. It is like trying to clutch water in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-more-we-try-to-catch-hold-of-the-present-moment-the-more-elusive/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The Universe is the game of the self, which plays hide and seek forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-universe-is-the-game-of-the-self-which-plays-hide-and-seek/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [If my happiness at this moment consists largely in reviewing happy memories and expectations, I am but dimly aware of this present. I shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/if-my-happiness-at-this-moment-consists-largely-in-reviewing-happy/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [...mysticism and empiricism go together in opposition to scholasticism...they base themselves on the non-linear world of experience rather than the linear world of letters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/mysticism-and-empiricism-go-together-in-opposition-to-scholasticism/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The hallucination of being a separate ego will not stand up to biological tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-hallucination-of-being-a-separate-ego-will-not-stand-up-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/although-profoundly-inconsequential-the-zen-experience-has/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Everything is perpetually becoming new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/everything-is-perpetually-becoming-new/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The psychotherapist ... tries to help the individual to be himself and to go it alone without giving unnecessary offense to his community, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-psychotherapist-tries-to-help-the-individual-to-be-himself-and-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [“As you make more and more powerful microscopic instruments, the universe has to get smaller and smaller in order to escape the investigation. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/as-you-make-more-and-more-powerful-microscopic-instruments-the/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [We are at the moment looking at space as something to be entered by the tremendous thrust of a rocket because that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/we-are-at-the-moment-looking-at-space-as-something-to-be-entered-by/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [A philosopher is a sort of intellectual yokel who gawks at things that sensible people take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/a-philosopher-is-a-sort-of-intellectual-yokel-who-gawks-at-things/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The best way to convince someone is by making him realize that what you speak came from his own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-best-way-to-convince-someone-is-by-making-him-realize-that-what/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The myths underlying our culture and underlying our common sense have not taught us to feel identical with the universe, but only parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-myths-underlying-our-culture-and-underlying-our-common-sense-have/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [To feel that life is meaningless unless “I” can be permanent is like having fallen desperately in love with an inch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/to-feel-that-life-is-meaningless-unless-i-can-be-permanent-is-like/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) [Explore all 460 Alan Watts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greater part of human activity is designed to make permanent those experiences and joys which are only lovable because they are changing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Watts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-designed-to-make-permanent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-designed-to-make-permanent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/alan-watts-587_activity_the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-de_3202174.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greater part of human activity is designed to make permanent those experiences and joys which are only…” — Alan Watts", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Alan Watts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greater part of human activity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-designed-to-make-permanent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-greater-part-of-human-activity-is-designed-to-make-permanent/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```