--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is filled with abstractions, and the…" description: "\"Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make heads or tails of it is going through intuition.\" — David Lynch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg" --- # Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make… ![“Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make heads or tails of it is going through intuition.” quote by David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg) > “Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make heads or tails of it is going through intuition.” [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding complex ideas often requires intuition rather than strict logic. **In simple terms:** Intuition helps grasp abstract concepts. Key Takeaway Trust your gut when faced with abstract problems. Themes intuition abstraction understanding Mood thoughtful curious Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - solving philosophical dilemmas - interpreting art - making strategic decisions Key Concepts cognitive psychology creative thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance intuition with analysis? - When does intuition fail? A Different Perspective Intuition can be biased and may lead to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstraction/) [Abstractions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstractions/) [Abstractions Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstractions-way-5624728/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Filled Abstractions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled-abstractions-5624727/) [Going Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-intuition-3069892/) [Heads or tails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heads-or-tails/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Tails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tails/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [To me, a story can be both concrete and abstract, or a concrete story can hold abstractions. And abstractions are things that really can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/to-me-a-story-can-be-both-concrete-and-abstract-or-a-concrete-story/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Going with intuition a lot of times is very lonely. You're going on hunches - a little voice in here says, "Go this way."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-peralta/going-with-intuition-a-lot-of-times-is-very-lonely-you-re-going-on/) [Stacy Peralta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-peralta/) > [I worry about leaders in complex situations who don't have enough experience, who are just going with their intuition and not monitoring it, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-klein/i-worry-about-leaders-in-complex-situations-who-don-t-have-enough/) [Gary A. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-klein/) > [Even at its most perceptive, sociology deals in abstractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/even-at-its-most-perceptive-sociology-deals-in-abstractions/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [I think we are living a life without specificity, and then our lives become abstractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-think-we-are-living-a-life-without-specificity-and-then-our-lives/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [I don't see those paintings as abstractions, especially because they are emblems of the inkblot. They aren't smashed together; they are constructed shape-by-shape, layer-by-layer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-don-t-see-those-paintings-as-abstractions-especially-because-they/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [For the Warrior of the Light, there are no abstractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/for-the-warrior-of-the-light-there-are-no-abstractions/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To make someone an icon is to make him an abstraction, and abstractions are incapable of vital communication with living people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-make-someone-an-icon-is-to-make-him-an-abstraction-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Policymakers think that if they get the abstractions right, that will drive behavior in the desired direction. But the world happens in real time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/policymakers-think-that-if-they-get-the-abstractions-right-that-will/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [At the same time, new concepts and abstractions flow into the picture, taking up the task of describing the universe without reference to such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-the-same-time-new-concepts-and-abstractions-flow-into-the-picture/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is easier to compare concrete things in a fictional story with concrete things in real life than it is to compare abstractions with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/it-is-easier-to-compare-concrete-things-in-a-fictional-story-with/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [You can deny, if you like, nearly all abstractions: justice, beauty, truth, goodness, mind, God. You can deny seriousness, but not play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/you-can-deny-if-you-like-nearly-all-abstractions-justice-beauty-truth/) [Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/) > [Abstractions about right and wrong, whether they are as old as Thou Shalt Not Kill or as modern as Do Your Own Thing, often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/abstractions-about-right-and-wrong-whether-they-are-as-old-as-thou/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [When novels deal in abstractions, they generally go off the rails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/when-novels-deal-in-abstractions-they-generally-go-off-the-rails/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [In 'Self Comes to Mind' I pay a lot of attention to simple creatures without brains or minds, because those 'cartooned abstractions of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/in-self-comes-to-mind-i-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-simple-creatures/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) ## More by David Lynch > [I like L.A. because of the light. The light makes me feel so good. It's really beautiful. And there's something about L.A. being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-l-a-because-of-the-light-the-light-makes-me-feel-so-good-it-s/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [One change of attitude would change everything. If everyone realized that it could be a beautiful world and said, 'let's not do these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/one-change-of-attitude-would-change-everything-if-everyone-realized/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [A poet could write volumes about diners, because they're so beautiful. They're brightly lit, with chrome and booths and Naugahyde and great waitresses. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/a-poet-could-write-volumes-about-diners-because-they-re-so-beautiful/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Surface cures are not going to get rid of the torment that's inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/surface-cures-are-not-going-to-get-rid-of-the-torment-that-s-inside/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [When you get an idea and you fall in love with it there's not a whole lot of choice. You're going down a street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-get-an-idea-and-you-fall-in-love-with-it-there-s-not-a-whole/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Nowadays, people shoot digitally and it's all in color, but you press a button and it all goes to black and white. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/nowadays-people-shoot-digitally-and-it-s-all-in-color-but-you-press-a/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [I love seeing people come out of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-love-seeing-people-come-out-of-darkness/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [I supported myself by delivering the 'Wall Street Journal' and doing odd jobs. I love plumbing and carpentry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-supported-myself-by-delivering-the-wall-street-journal-and-doing/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [So much of what happened to me is good fortune. But I would say: Try to get a job that gives you some time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/so-much-of-what-happened-to-me-is-good-fortune-but-i-would-say-try-to/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Achievement is its own reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/achievement-is-its-own-reward/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [I like to remember things my own way. How I remembered them, not necessarily the way they happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-to-remember-things-my-own-way-how-i-remembered-them-not/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“The idea tells you everything. Lots of times I get ideas, I fall in love with them. Those ones you fall in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-idea-tells-you-everything-lots-of-times-i-get-ideas-i-fall-in/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [When you have something that brings a real emotion, that's the power of cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-have-something-that-brings-a-real-emotion-that-s-the-power/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [If a human being is filled with happiness and positivity, this is what they radiate out into the world. We each affect our environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/if-a-human-being-is-filled-with-happiness-and-positivity-this-is-what/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [I always loved smokestack industry, and I love towns or cities that have grown up around factories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-always-loved-smokestack-industry-and-i-love-towns-or-cities-that/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) [Explore all 331 David Lynch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) ## More Abstraction quotes > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [The premises from which we begin are not arbitrary ones, not dogmas, but real premises from which abstraction can only be made in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-premises-from-which-we-begin-are-not-arbitrary-ones-not-dogmas/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Two elements are needed to form a truth - a fact and an abstraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/two-elements-are-needed-to-form-a-truth-a-fact-and-an-abstraction/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [But we must not underestimate the potency of the mathematical process of abstraction. A surprising variety of things happen to have both magnitude and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banesh-hoffmann/but-we-must-not-underestimate-the-potency-of-the-mathematical-process/) [Banesh Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banesh-hoffmann/) > [Sometimes I start in a very realistic fashion, and as I go on from one painting to another of the same kind, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/sometimes-i-start-in-a-very-realistic-fashion-and-as-i-go-on-from-one/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I like residing in abstraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/i-like-residing-in-abstraction/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [Cancer begins and ends with people. In the midst of scientific abstraction, it is sometimes possible to forget this one basic fact. Doctors treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-goodfield/cancer-begins-and-ends-with-people-in-the-midst-of-scientific/) [June Goodfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-goodfield/) > [Yes, there was an element of abstraction and unreality in misfortune. But when an abstraction starts to kill you, you have to get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/yes-there-was-an-element-of-abstraction-and-unreality-in-misfortune/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Computer Science is a science of abstraction -creating the right model for a problem and devising the appropriate mechanizable techniques to solve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-aho/computer-science-is-a-science-of-abstraction-creating-the-right-model/) [Alfred Aho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-aho/) > [In 'Self Comes to Mind' I pay a lot of attention to simple creatures without brains or minds, because those 'cartooned abstractions of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/in-self-comes-to-mind-i-pay-a-lot-of-attention-to-simple-creatures/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Don't get stuck on the level of words. A word is no more than a means to an end. It's an abstraction. Not unlike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/don-t-get-stuck-on-the-level-of-words-a-word-is-no-more-than-a-means/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Holidays are in no sense an alternative to the congestion and bustle of the cities and work. Quite the contrary. People look to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/holidays-are-in-no-sense-an-alternative-to-the-congestion-and-bustle/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [The pragmatist turns away from abstraction and insufficiency, from verbal solutions, from bad a priori reasons, from fixed principles, closed systems, and pretended absolutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-pragmatist-turns-away-from-abstraction-and-insufficiency-from/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [ I'd say that \[Louis\] Brandeis practiced a kind of a "living originalism," to use the title of Jack Balkin's great book. He said you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-rosen/i-d-say-that-louis-brandeis-practiced-a-kind-of-a-living-originalism/) [Jeffrey Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-rosen/) > [When novels deal in abstractions, they generally go off the rails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/when-novels-deal-in-abstractions-they-generally-go-off-the-rails/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) [Browse all 562 Abstraction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstraction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make heads or tails of it is going through intuition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Lynch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the-only-way-to-make-heads-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abstraction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the-only-way-to-make-heads-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d3/david-lynch-911_abstraction_life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the_1521588.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is filled with abstractions, and the only way to make heads or tails of it is going through intuition.” — David Lynch", "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": "David Lynch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life is filled with abstractions, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the-only-way-to-make-heads-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/life-is-filled-with-abstractions-and-the-only-way-to-make-heads-or/#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 } } ] } ```