Cheat Quote by China Miéville
““You cannot train yourself to successfully and sustainedly unsee and unhear you do them all the time, but they also fail, repeatedly, and you cheat, repeatedly, in all sorts of small ways. The book mentions that several times. It is absolutely about absolute fidelity to those particular urban protocols, exaggerations or extrapolations of the ones that I think are all around us all the time in the real world; but it's also about cheating them, and failing them, and playing a little fast and loose, which I think is an inextricable part of such norms.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing novel themes, 2023
The passage argues that we constantly try to ignore certain stimuli, but we inevitably fail, cheat, and bend rules, making imperfect compliance part of social norms.
In simple terms: We try to ignore things but often slip, shaping norms.
Key Takeaway
Accept that perfect adherence is impossible.
Themes
norms
imperfection
social compliance
Mood
critical
analytical
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily interactions
- media consumption
- workplace policies
- academic research
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
urban protocols
ethical flexibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What norms do you find yourself bending?
- How does acknowledging imperfection affect your behavior?
A Different Perspective
Strict adherence can be unrealistic and stifle creativity.
