Authority Quote by Gene Wolfe
“No intellect is needed to see those figures who wait beyond the void of death - every child is aware of them, blazing with glories dark or bright, wrapped in authority older than the universe. They are the stuff of our earliest dreams, as of our dying visions. Rightly we feel our lives guided by them, and rightly too we feel how little we matter to them, the builders of the unimaginable, the fighters of wars beyond the totality of existence.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, 1980
Human imagination creates powerful archetypes that feel both ancient and beyond our control, shaping our dreams and fears.
In simple terms: Our minds project timeless symbols that guide and overwhelm us.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question the influence of these archetypal forces.
Themes
myth
existence
human psyche
fate
power
Mood
awe
introspective
enigmatic
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- psychology
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
archetype
collective unconscious
cosmic scale
Questions to Reflect On
- How do these archetypes affect your decisions?
- Can you reshape their influence?
A Different Perspective
These symbols can also limit agency and cause fatalism.
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