--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since ancient times, the left side has…" description: "\"Since ancient times, the left side has stood for the side of the unconscious or the unknown; the right side, by contrast, has represented the side of c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jean-gebser-46633_ancient_since-ancient-times-the-left-side-has-st_789916.jpg" --- # Since ancient times, the left side has stood for the side… ![“Since ancient times, the left side has stood for the side of the unconscious or the unknown; the right side, by contrast, has represented the side of consciousness or wakefulness. Through the late twentieth century, the movement of the Left limited themselves to a materialist understanding of…” quote by Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jean-gebser-46633_ancient_since-ancient-times-the-left-side-has-st_789916.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jean-gebser-46633_ancient_since-ancient-times-the-left-side-has-st_789916.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/jean-gebser-46633_ancient_since-ancient-times-the-left-side-has-st_789916.jpg) > “Since ancient times, the left side has stood for the side of the unconscious or the unknown; the right side, by contrast, has represented the side of consciousness or wakefulness. Through the late twentieth century, the movement of the Left limited themselves to a materialist understanding of reality- exemplified by Marxism- demanding social justice and economic equality but not the restoration of intuition and the recognition of the hidden, qualitative dimensions of being suppressed by the mental-rational consciousness, narrowly focused on the quantifiable.” [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The left/right metaphor illustrates how modern thought prioritizes rational, measurable reality while neglecting intuitive, qualitative aspects of existence. **In simple terms:** Rational focus ignores intuition. Key Takeaway Balance rational analysis with intuitive insight. Themes philosophy psychology culture duality Mood reflective critical inquisitive Type analytical philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education reform - personal development - organizational decision making - artistic creation Key Concepts consciousness intuition materialism qualitative dimensions Questions to Reflect On - How can we integrate intuition into scientific practice? - What are the costs of ignoring qualitative experience? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on rationality can stifle creativity and holistic understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-times/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Dimensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimensions/) [Economic equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-equality/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Marxism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marxism/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Restoration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restoration/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Twentieth century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twentieth-century/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [In all societies that have applied a form of socialism, a certain degree of social economic equality has been achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/in-all-societies-that-have-applied-a-form-of-socialism-a-certain/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The greatest country, the richest country, is not that which has the most capitalists, monopolists, immense grabbings, vast fortunes, with its sad, sad soil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/the-greatest-country-the-richest-country-is-not-that-which-has-the/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Political Freedom without economic equality is a pretense, a fraud, a lie; and the workers want no lying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/political-freedom-without-economic-equality-is-a-pretense-a-fraud-a/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Economic equality is the master-key to nonviolent independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/economic-equality-is-the-master-key-to-nonviolent-independence/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The boundaries of democracy have to be widened so as to include economic equality also. 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Among the full range…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pollin/i-think-it-is-inevitable-that-leftist-forces-in-the-us-would-be/) [Robert Pollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pollin/) > [I don't believe that economic equality is possible; indeed some measure of inequality is essential for the spirit of envy and keeping up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-johnson/i-don-t-believe-that-economic-equality-is-possible-indeed-some/) [Boris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-johnson/) ## More by Jean Gebser > [In the end, everything is simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/in-the-end-everything-is-simple/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) > [Only if we grant power to something can it have power over us. It becomes a serving and sustaining potency when we again are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/only-if-we-grant-power-to-something-can-it-have-power-over-us-it/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) > [The supersession of dualism in biology begins to occur in this science at the moment when the ‘time’ factor is taken into consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/the-supersession-of-dualism-in-biology-begins-to-occur-in-this/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) > [Integral reality is the world’s transparency, a perceiving of the world as truth: a mutual perceiving and imparting of the truth of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/integral-reality-is-the-world-s-transparency-a-perceiving-of-the/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) > [What counts now are the value-less facts, the material and the rational. All else is regarded with condescension as being of only sentimental value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/what-counts-now-are-the-value-less-facts-the-material-and-the/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) > [All work, the genuine work which we must achieve, is that which is most difficult and painful: the work on ourselves. If we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/all-work-the-genuine-work-which-we-must-achieve-is-that-which-is-most/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) > [We must recognize that the attempt to set forth the temporal course commonly referred to as the "evolution of mankind" is merely an attempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gebser/we-must-recognize-that-the-attempt-to-set-forth-the-temporal-course/) [Jean Gebser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) [Explore all 8 Jean Gebser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-gebser/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since ancient times, the left side has stood for the side of the unconscious or the unknown; the right side, by contrast, has represented the side of consciousness or wakefulness. 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