--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Something is missing in our culture. We…" description: "\"Something is missing in our culture. We can't quite celebrate the scientific literary tradition.\" — Ian Mcewan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/ian-mcewan-494_celebrate_something-is-missing-in-our-culture-we-c_1308596.png" --- # Something is missing in our culture. We can't quite… ![“Something is missing in our culture. We can't quite celebrate the scientific literary tradition.” quote by Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/ian-mcewan-494_celebrate_something-is-missing-in-our-culture-we-c_1308596.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/ian-mcewan-494_celebrate_something-is-missing-in-our-culture-we-c_1308596.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/ian-mcewan-494_celebrate_something-is-missing-in-our-culture-we-c_1308596.png) > “Something is missing in our culture. We can't quite celebrate the scientific literary tradition.” [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern culture neglects the celebration of scientific and literary achievements, leaving a void. **In simple terms:** We ignore science and literature. Key Takeaway Revive appreciation for both fields. Themes culture science literature Mood thoughtful concerned Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - schools - media - public policy - community events Key Concepts intellectual history education Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to promote scientific literacy? - How can literature be made more accessible? A Different Perspective Balancing entertainment and depth is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Scientific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) ## Related quotes > [If it is true that love is the pursuit in another of qualities we lack in ourselves, then in our love of someone from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/if-it-is-true-that-love-is-the-pursuit-in-another-of-qualities-we/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Anytime an African-American writes an unconventional novel, the writer gets compared to Ellison. But that's O.K. I am working in the African-American literary tradition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/anytime-an-african-american-writes-an-unconventional-novel-the-writer/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I think that a lot of things are hard to read if you're not in the vocabulary flow of that particular discourse. I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-vendler/i-think-that-a-lot-of-things-are-hard-to-read-if-you-re-not-in-the/) [Helen Vendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-vendler/) > [I do not come out of a literary tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/i-do-not-come-out-of-a-literary-tradition/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [Parajanov's love for the folk culture is quite infectious. 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I think the book is very much alive and the more people who are encouraged to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brandis/we-have-a-great-literary-tradition-in-australia-i-think-the-book-is/) [George Brandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brandis/) > [Know your literary tradition, savor it, steal from it, but when you sit down to write, forget about worshiping greatness and fetishizing masterpieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/know-your-literary-tradition-savor-it-steal-from-it-but-when-you-sit/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) ## More by Ian Mcewan > [“As you will see, we do not believe that artists have an obligation to strike up attitudes to the war. 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My reason for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-ve-never-had-a-moment-s-doubt-i-love-you-i-believe-in-you/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“It is shaming sometimes, how the body will not, or cannot, lie about emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-is-shaming-sometimes-how-the-body-will-not-or-cannot-lie-about/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“While my friends struggled and calculated, I reached a solution by a set of floating steps that were partly visual, partly just a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/while-my-friends-struggled-and-calculated-i-reached-a-solution-by-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Once, on a walk by a river- Eskdale in low reddish sunlight, with a dusting of snow- his daughter quoted to him an opening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/once-on-a-walk-by-a-river-eskdale-in-low-reddish-sunlight-with-a/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Perhaps it's one of those cases of a microcosm giving you the whole world. 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But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let's celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I'm not so much in the future as always in the present. The future always takes care of itself. What I do now with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/i-m-not-so-much-in-the-future-as-always-in-the-present-the-future/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [Birth, life, death is a cycle. And they're all beautiful, you celebrate all of them. Animals do grieve, but they move on. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/birth-life-death-is-a-cycle-and-they-re-all-beautiful-you-celebrate/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [I just wanted to jump into the stands and start celebrating with those wonderful fans. 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