Exaggerating Quote by Daniel J. Boorstin
“It is only a short step from exaggerating what we can find in the world to exaggerating our power to remake the world. Expecting more novelty than there is, more greatness than there is, and more strangeness than there is, we imagine ourselves masters of a plastic universe. But a world we can shape to our will is a shapeless world.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Discoverers, 1983
Exaggerating our power leads to unrealistic expectations of a malleable world.
In simple terms: Overconfidence creates false expectations.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with realistic limits.
Themes
hubris
innovation
perception
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- entrepreneurship
- policy planning
- personal goal setting
Key Concepts
philosophy
systems theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What limits should you acknowledge?
- How can you harness imagination responsibly?
A Different Perspective
Excessive optimism can cause disappointment.
![“The ancients had little doubt about the true shape of the earth: "It's [the world's] shape has the rounded appearance of a perfect sphere. This is shown first of all by the name of 'orb' which is bestowed upon it by the general consent of mankind. ...Our eyesight also confirms this belief, because…” quote by Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7fc/pliny-the-elder-2838_appearance_the-ancients-had-little-doubt-about-the_1189606.jpg)
![“[The Library of Congress] is a multimedia encyclopedia. These are the tentacles of a nation.” quote by Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/79a/daniel-j-boorstin-3089_congress_the-library-of-congress-is-a-multimedia_186561.jpg)
