--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or…" description: "\"Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration: it is inherent in the very texture of human life.\" — Alfred North Whitehead" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png" --- # Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration… ![“Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration: it is inherent in the very texture of human life.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png) > “Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration: it is inherent in the very texture of human life.” [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Symbolism is a fundamental way humans understand the world, not a decorative addition. **In simple terms:** Symbolism is essential to human perception. Key Takeaway Recognize symbolic meaning in everyday life. Themes perception meaning human nature Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - art analysis - literary criticism - daily communication - personal reflection Key Concepts philosophy semiotics Questions to Reflect On - How does symbolism shape your decisions? - When might literal interpretation be preferable? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on symbolism can obscure literal facts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Degeneration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degeneration/) [Fancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fancy/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idle/) [Inherent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherent/) [Inherent Texture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inherent-texture-5613298/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere/) [Symbol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbol/) [Symbolism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbolism/) [Symbolism Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbolism-mere-5613300/) [Texture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texture/) [Texture Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texture-human-5613299/) ## Related quotes > [“True symbolism depends on the fact that things, which may differ from one another in time, space, material nature, and many other limitative characteristics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/titus-burckhardt/true-symbolism-depends-on-the-fact-that-things-which-may-differ-from/) [Titus Burckhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/titus-burckhardt/) > [“Anytime you meditate, some electric jerks occur in your thigh...the symbol of premonition of an unpleasant event that has happened or will take place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/anytime-you-meditate-some-electric-jerks-occur-in-your-thigh-the/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [The symbolism of the Goddess is not a parallel structure to the symbolism of God the Father. The Goddess does not rule the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/the-symbolism-of-the-goddess-is-not-a-parallel-structure-to-the/) [Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/) > [“Like the subconscious, like love, like memory, like time itself, like every single one of us, the church is built on the ruins of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/like-the-subconscious-like-love-like-memory-like-time-itself-like/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“Symbolism is the science of understanding the relations between the multiple levels of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/symbolism-is-the-science-of-understanding-the-relations-between-the/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [“We write, edit, and rewrite the story of our own life employing descriptive words, metaphors, and symbols. Our lives are full of symbols including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/we-write-edit-and-rewrite-the-story-of-our-own-life-employing/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“Tautology and contradiction are, however, not senseless; they are part of the symbolism, in the same way that “0” is part of the symbolism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/tautology-and-contradiction-are-however-not-senseless-they-are-part/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [“Other flowers came at the end of the summer, but by then the winter sadness had already dissipated, and the effect of the blooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-stern/other-flowers-came-at-the-end-of-the-summer-but-by-then-the-winter/) [Jessica Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-stern/) > [Symbolism exists to adorn and enrich, not to create an artificial sense of profundity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/symbolism-exists-to-adorn-and-enrich-not-to-create-an-artificial/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Pain speaks louder than words ever could. Like most things it serves as both messenger and a symbol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/pain-speaks-louder-than-words-ever-could-like-most-things-it-serves/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“A symbol is always in general and, however precise its translation, an artist can restore to it only its movement: there is no word-for-word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/a-symbol-is-always-in-general-and-however-precise-its-translation-an/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“There was something melancholic about that symbol of their nation's promise of freedom, a bell with a chipped mouth and cleft body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/there-was-something-melancholic-about-that-symbol-of-their-nation-s/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [There is no symbol to symbolize the symbolism of our loved ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-kermis/there-is-no-symbol-to-symbolize-the-symbolism-of-our-loved-ones/) [Samuel Kermis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-kermis/) > [A symbol is indeed the only possible expression of some invisible essence, a transparent lamp about a spiritual flame; while allegory is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/a-symbol-is-indeed-the-only-possible-expression-of-some-invisible/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I think that a symbolism is attached to particular images, becomes marked in the unconscious. To exorcise it, to rearrange it, to reshape it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-charlesworth/i-think-that-a-symbolism-is-attached-to-particular-images-becomes/) [Sarah Charlesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-charlesworth/) ## More by Alfred North Whitehead > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/philosophy-begins-in-wonder-and-at-the-end-when-philosophic-thought/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The pursuit of mathematics is a divine madness of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-pursuit-of-mathematics-is-a-divine-madness-of-the-human-spirit/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Without adventure all civilization is full of decay. Adventure rarely reaches its predetermined end. Columbus never reached China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/without-adventure-all-civilization-is-full-of-decay-adventure-rarely/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Aristotle discovered all the half-truths which were necessary to the creation of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/aristotle-discovered-all-the-half-truths-which-were-necessary-to-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [On the ostensible exactitude of certain branches of human knowledge, including mathematics. The exactness is a fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/on-the-ostensible-exactitude-of-certain-branches-of-human-knowledge/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [It is this union of passionate interest in the detailed facts with equal devotion to abstract generalisation which forms the novelty in our present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-this-union-of-passionate-interest-in-the-detailed-facts-with/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of infinitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/our-minds-are-finite-and-yet-even-in-these-circumstances-of/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The many become one and are increased by one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-many-become-one-and-are-increased-by-one/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/art-is-the-imposing-of-a-pattern-on-experience-and-our-aesthetic/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The future belongs to those who can rise above the confines of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-can-rise-above-the-confines-of-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Common sense is genius in homespun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/common-sense-is-genius-in-homespun/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Everyone is a philosopher. Not everyone is good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/everyone-is-a-philosopher-not-everyone-is-good-at-it/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Do not teach too many subjects and what you teach, teach thoroughly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/do-not-teach-too-many-subjects-and-what-you-teach-teach-thoroughly/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are cavalry charges in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/civilization-advances-by-extending-the-number-of-important-operations/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) [Explore all 356 Alfred North Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## More Degeneration quotes > [Hysteria and degeneration have always existed; but they formerly showed themselves sporadically, and had no importance in the life of the whole community. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nordau/hysteria-and-degeneration-have-always-existed-but-they-formerly/) [Max Nordau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nordau/) > [It is not till it is discovered that high individual incomes will not purchase the mass of mankind immunity from cholera, typhus, and ignorance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/it-is-not-till-it-is-discovered-that-high-individual-incomes-will-not/) [R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/) > [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [“The too perfect security of the Upper-worlders had led them to a slow movement of degeneration, a general dwindling in size strength and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-too-perfect-security-of-the-upper-worlders-had-led-them-to-a-slow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Rose was patently a degenerate. Nature, in scheduling his characteristics, had pruned all superlatives. The rude armour of the flesh, under which the spiritual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-capes/rose-was-patently-a-degenerate-nature-in-scheduling-his/) [Bernard Capes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-capes/) > [The mind in its foolishness thinks that it is working in this body. Why should I be bound by one system of nerves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-mind-in-its-foolishness-thinks-that-it-is-working-in-this-body/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The domestication (the culture) of man does not go deep--where it does go deep it at once becomes degeneration (type: the Christian). The 'savage'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-domestication-the-culture-of-man-does-not-go-deep-where-it-does/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Remember how many beautiful women there were in the 1950s and 1960s, without any surgery? And now, thanks to degeneration, we have this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-lukyanova/remember-how-many-beautiful-women-there-were-in-the-1950s-and-1960s/) [Valeria Lukyanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-lukyanova/) > [In the eye, there is a type of junk that accumulates in the back of the retina that eventually causes us to go blind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/in-the-eye-there-is-a-type-of-junk-that-accumulates-in-the-back-of/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Socialism crushes human rights, builds the state, impinges on the liberty of conscience, and breeds social, cultural, and economic degeneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/socialism-crushes-human-rights-builds-the-state-impinges-on-the/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [The beginning is always so fine!! But decay soon follows. A degeneration into the tired old situation. The rot sets in. This way, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/the-beginning-is-always-so-fine-but-decay-soon-follows-a-degeneration/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [It is thought that the virus is a degeneration from a more complex life form. It may at one time have been capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/it-is-thought-that-the-virus-is-a-degeneration-from-a-more-complex/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Humanity to me is not a mob. A mob is a degeneration of humanity. A mob is humanity going the wrong way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/humanity-to-me-is-not-a-mob-a-mob-is-a-degeneration-of-humanity-a-mob/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Welcome to the degeneration of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/welcome-to-the-degeneration-of-my-mind/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [I am convinced that 1941 will be the crucial year of a great New Order in Europe. The world shall open up for everyone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-am-convinced-that-1941-will-be-the-crucial-year-of-a-great-new/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) [Browse all 48 Degeneration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degeneration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration: it is inherent in the very texture of human life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred North Whitehead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corrupt-degeneration-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Degeneration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corrupt-degeneration-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/184/alfred-north-whitehead-836_degeneration_symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corru_3143750.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Symbolism is no mere idle fancy or corrupt degeneration: it is inherent in the very texture of human life.” — Alfred North Whitehead", "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": "Alfred North Whitehead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Symbolism is no mere idle fancy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corrupt-degeneration-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/symbolism-is-no-mere-idle-fancy-or-corrupt-degeneration-it-is/#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 } } ] } ```