Art Quote by Iris Murdoch
“Art is the final cunning of the human soul which would rather do anything than face the gods.”
About This Quote
Art serves as a psychological shield, allowing people to avoid confronting existential or divine truths by immersing themselves in creation.
In simple terms: Art as avoidance of existential truth
Key Takeaway
Art can be escapism
Themes
existentialism
psychology
aesthetics
spirituality
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- facing mortality
- grappling with purpose
- encountering the sublime
- seeking meaning
Key Concepts
human nature
divine
cognitive distraction
Practical Applications
- creative therapy
- philosophical critique
Questions to Reflect On
- Why might we seek distraction through art?
- Can art ever truly face the divine?
A Different Perspective
Art can also confront and illuminate divine truths, not merely hide from them.
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
![“Organized religion has a part in the evolution of personal religion. It is the material upon which personal religion is grafted, but the process of grafting must be individual. Every human soul must, through thought, prayer, and study, cultivate his [sic] own religion to suit himself.” quote by Lily Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7f3/lily-montagu-82141_evolution_organized-religion-has-a-part-in-the-evo_7761.jpg)
