--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An ironic religion -- one that never…" description: "\"“An ironic religion -- one that never claims to be absolutely true but only professes to be relatively beautiful, and never promises salvation but only..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg" --- # An ironic religion -- one that never claims to be… ![“An ironic religion -- one that never claims to be absolutely true but only professes to be relatively beautiful, and never promises salvation but only proposes it as a salubrious idea. A century ago there were people who thought art was the thing that could fuse the terms of this seemingly…” quote by Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg) > ““An ironic religion -- one that never claims to be absolutely true but only professes to be relatively beautiful, and never promises salvation but only proposes it as a salubrious idea. A century ago there were people who thought art was the thing that could fuse the terms of this seemingly insuperable oxymoron, and no doubt art is part of the formula. But maybe consumerism also has something to teach us about forging an ironic religion -- a lesson about learning to choose, about learning the power and consequences, for good or ill, of our ever-expanding palette of choices. Perhaps . . . the day will come when the true ironic religion is found, the day when humanity is filled with enough love and imagination and responsibility to become its own god and make a paradise of its world, a paradise of all the right choices.”” [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) ## 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 suggests that an “ironic religion” embraces relative beauty over absolute truth, using art and consumer choice to guide humanity toward love, imagination, and responsibility, ultimately creating a self‑made paradise. **In simple terms:** A belief system that values beauty, choice, and responsibility over dogma. Key Takeaway Cultivate love, imagination, and responsible choices. Themes beauty choice responsibility art consumerism Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative projects - personal development - community building - environmental activism Key Concepts relativism ethical imagination self‑determination Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance personal choice with communal well‑being? - What role does art play in shaping ethical values? A Different Perspective It may overlook the need for shared standards or collective action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commerce/) [Consumerism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumerism/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Forging Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forging-ironic-4002060/) [Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic/) [Ironic Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic-religion-4002055/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Right choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-choice/) [Right choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-choices/) [True Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-ironic-4002057/) ## Related quotes > [My dogs can't do anything--and what a relief. I don't make any demands of them, and I don't try to shape them or their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/my-dogs-can-t-do-anything-and-what-a-relief-i-don-t-make-any-demands/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [Our life is in our own hands, it's all about choices. We choose who to love, where to work, who to let into our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/our-life-is-in-our-own-hands-it-s-all-about-choices-we-choose-who-to/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [If you make the right choice in casting, your work is nearly done already. You don't have to spend a lot of time directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-jeunet/if-you-make-the-right-choice-in-casting-your-work-is-nearly-done/) [Jean-Pierre Jeunet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-jeunet/) > [“A writer or any artist can’t expect to be embraced by the people. I've done records where it seemed like no one listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-be-embraced-by-the-people-i-ve/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, our lives hinge on the ability to make right choices and decisions. By God's grace, I made the most important decision a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/ultimately-our-lives-hinge-on-the-ability-to-make-right-choices-and/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [Emotional healing is almost always a process. It takes time. There is a very important reason for this. Our heavenly Father is not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mcclung/emotional-healing-is-almost-always-a-process-it-takes-time-there-is-a/) [Floyd McClung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mcclung/) > [“Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises, don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful — be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/build-a-good-name-keep-your-name-clean-don-t-make-compromises-don-t/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Dear self, please accept yourself more, please love yourself, please make the right choices, please know what is good for you and please please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-self-please-accept-yourself-more-please-love-yourself-please/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody's perfect, so don't put a marking criteria on what you want in a companion and then expect them to not have faults or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carniel-dunlop/nobody-s-perfect-so-don-t-put-a-marking-criteria-on-what-you-want-in/) [Carniel Dunlop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carniel-dunlop/) > [The only pressure is the pressure I put on myself, that's up to be I guess to mitigate that. I think there's always pressure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/the-only-pressure-is-the-pressure-i-put-on-myself-that-s-up-to-be-i/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [“As he tightened his embrace around her, he knew he'd made the right choice. He held the whole world in his arms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/as-he-tightened-his-embrace-around-her-he-knew-he-d-made-the-right/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [As difficult as these choices were, they were right choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-difficult-as-these-choices-were-they-were-right-choices/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the words of Andy Grove: “To understand a company’s strategy, look at what they actually do rather than what they say they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-m-christensen/in-the-words-of-andy-grove-to-understand-a-company-s-strategy-look-at/) [Clayton M. Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-m-christensen/) > [I teach my children that in life, there is no control of what tomorrow is going to bring. There really isn't. But in whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-winans/i-teach-my-children-that-in-life-there-is-no-control-of-what-tomorrow/) [BeBe Winans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-winans/) > [I have found success is ultimately realized by people who make more right choices . . . and recover quickly from their bad choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/i-have-found-success-is-ultimately-realized-by-people-who-make-more/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) ## More by Alex Shakar > [“Children, awkward, isolate, their bodies crammed to bursting with caffein and sugar and pop music and cologne and perfume and hairgel and pimple cream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/children-awkward-isolate-their-bodies-crammed-to-bursting-with/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [You need contradictions to make an ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/you-need-contradictions-to-make-an-ideal/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [With the Internet, we can choose the very communities we want to be a part of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/with-the-internet-we-can-choose-the-very-communities-we-want-to-be-a/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“On a cement pediment stands the inevitable bronze statue of a man in a cheap suit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/on-a-cement-pediment-stands-the-inevitable-bronze-statue-of-a-man-in/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“That's the problem with relationships," George was saying. "It's a contract. You agree to be some unchanging caricature of yourself. To act the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/that-s-the-problem-with-relationships-george-was-saying-it-s-a/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [From the beauty they deserve will come the love they deserve. And from the love will follow truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/from-the-beauty-they-deserve-will-come-the-love-they-deserve-and-from/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“Fred put away the phone, finished off his bourbon, and resumed watching the couple suck on the combined mass of their two tongues. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/fred-put-away-the-phone-finished-off-his-bourbon-and-resumed-watching/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [She avoids deep thought like an empty restaurant, not out of stupidity, but a canny resolve to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/she-avoids-deep-thought-like-an-empty-restaurant-not-out-of-stupidity/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [That's the problem with relationships, It's a contract. You agree to be some unchanging caricature of yourself. To act the same way all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/that-s-the-problem-with-relationships-it-s-a-contract-you-agree-to-be/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [Childhood and adulthood were not factors of age but states of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/childhood-and-adulthood-were-not-factors-of-age-but-states-of-mind/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“It's kind of a dark little life . . . being a paranoiac, but it's also not without its comforts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/it-s-kind-of-a-dark-little-life-being-a-paranoiac-but-it-s-also-not/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“How easy it is for men to talk about beauty, and how subtly intimidating when they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/how-easy-it-is-for-men-to-talk-about-beauty-and-how-subtly/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [Cats are there to be indulged. That's their function: to receive the love we never fully gave our parents. Not like dogs. Dogs are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/cats-are-there-to-be-indulged-that-s-their-function-to-receive-the/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“The only spot of comfort was the lingering impression of her fingertips through the fabric of his shirt, a reminder of the good side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/the-only-spot-of-comfort-was-the-lingering-impression-of-her/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) > [“He dozed off, into a dreamless oblivion, for what seemed like seconds but was in fact hours, and awoke hungover, the inner surface of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/he-dozed-off-into-a-dreamless-oblivion-for-what-seemed-like-seconds/) [Alex Shakar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) [Explore all 18 Alex Shakar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“An ironic religion -- one that never claims to be absolutely true but only professes to be relatively beautiful, and never promises salvation but only proposes it as a salubrious idea. A century ago there were people who thought art was the thing that could fuse the terms of this seemingly insuperable oxymoron, and no doubt art is part of the formula. But maybe consumerism also has something to teach us about forging an ironic religion -- a lesson about learning to choose, about learning the power and consequences, for good or ill, of our ever-expanding palette of choices. Perhaps . . . the day will come when the true ironic religion is found, the day when humanity is filled with enough love and imagination and responsibility to become its own god and make a paradise of its world, a paradise of all the right choices.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Shakar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims-to-be-absolutely-true-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims-to-be-absolutely-true-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77e/alex-shakar-29368_capitalism_an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims_460669.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An ironic religion -- one that never claims to be absolutely true but only professes to be relatively…” — Alex Shakar", "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": "Alex Shakar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-shakar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“An ironic religion -- one that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims-to-be-absolutely-true-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-shakar/an-ironic-religion-one-that-never-claims-to-be-absolutely-true-but/#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 } } ] } ```