Air Quote by Flannery O'Connor
“I don't think you should write something as long as a novel around anything that is not of the gravest concern to you and everybody else and for me this is always the conflict between an attraction for the Holy and the disbelief in it that we breathe in with the air of the times.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Nature of Faith” (1963)
Writing should be driven by deep, universal concerns, not trivial interests; tension between sacred attraction and secular doubt
In simple terms: Write only about profound, shared concerns
Key Takeaway
Prioritize meaningful, weighty topics in creative work
Themes
literature
faith
conflict
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Novel writing
- public speaking
- teaching
Key Concepts
Existential authenticity
spiritual skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- When is it appropriate to write about less serious subjects?
- How can serious themes be made accessible?
A Different Perspective
The stance may dismiss the value of lighter, entertaining works
![“Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]?... I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I’ve always…” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/lawrence-summers-16940_air_just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-wo_4703.jpg)
![“[A]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air. And be careful what you swallow.” quote by Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da8/dr-seuss-1224_advice_a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-f_6806.jpg)