Acquire Quote by Don DeLillo
“There's something nearly mystical about certain words and phrases that float through our lives. It's computer mysticism. Words that are computer generated to be used on products that might be sold anywhere from Japan to Denmark - words devised to be pronounceable in a hundred languages. And when you detach one of these words from the product it was designed to serve, the words acquires a chantlike quality.”
About This Quote
Source Book: White Noise by Don DeLillo, 1985
Some words, designed for global products, gain a mystical, chant‑like aura when stripped from their commercial purpose, highlighting how language can become abstract and transcendent.
In simple terms: Words can feel mystical when detached from their use.
Key Takeaway
Notice how language can become symbolic beyond function.
Themes
language
globalization
branding
culture
meaning
Mood
reflective
poetic
observational
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- creating product names
- marketing campaigns
- cross‑cultural communication
- artistic writing
Key Concepts
semiotics
transcendence
linguistic abstraction
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes a word feel chant‑like?
- Does context change a word’s power?
A Different Perspective
The effect may be subjective and not universal.
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
