---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can see an anthill or a roach or a…"
description: "\"We can see an anthill or a roach or a flower or anything, but we have this frame where our mind recognizes an anthill and then moves on, without taking..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/jeff-mangum-16672_awe_we-can-see-an-anthill-or-a-roach-or-a-fl_2215866.png"
---

#  We can see an anthill or a roach or a flower or anything…

![“We can see an anthill or a roach or a flower or anything, but we have this frame where our mind recognizes an anthill and then moves on, without taking the opportunity to have the sense of awe that we could have if we really looked at it. The montage is about taking pieces of reality and…” quote by Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/jeff-mangum-16672_awe_we-can-see-an-anthill-or-a-roach-or-a-fl_2215866.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/jeff-mangum-16672_awe_we-can-see-an-anthill-or-a-roach-or-a-fl_2215866.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f14/jeff-mangum-16672_awe_we-can-see-an-anthill-or-a-roach-or-a-fl_2215866.png)

> “We can see an anthill or a roach or a flower or anything, but we have this frame where our mind recognizes an anthill and then moves on, without taking the opportunity to have the sense of awe that we could have if we really looked at it. The montage is about taking pieces of reality and rearranging them - creating new frames to make you have to stop and look at things in a fresh way. It's basically taking pieces of everyday reality and rearranging them to show people the magic that is inherent in all of these things already.”

[Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Encourages reframing everyday objects to spark awe by rearranging perception, revealing hidden magic.

**In simple terms:** See the ordinary in a new, wondrous way.

Key Takeaway

Practice looking at familiar things from fresh angles.

Themes

creativity perception mindfulness

Mood

inspirational thought‑provoking

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- artistic projects
- teaching
- personal reflection
- design thinking

Key Concepts

frame shifting aesthetic appreciation cognitive flexibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What everyday object could you reframe today?
- How does changing perspective affect your mood?

A Different Perspective

May be challenging without intentional practice.

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[Awe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awe/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Frame Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frame-mind/) [Looked Montage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked-montage-4924983/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Montage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/montage/) [Montage Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/montage-taking-4924984/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Rearranging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-rearranging-4924985/)

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> [As for the various kinds of montage photography, they are in reality not photography at all but a kind of painting in which photography…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/as-for-the-various-kinds-of-montage-photography-they-are-in-reality/)

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> [“All film technique, I am convinced (and like many of my theories I am probably alone in adhering to it), originates in dreaming. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/all-film-technique-i-am-convinced-and-like-many-of-my-theories-i-am/)

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> [Sometimes, when there's a video montage. I'm thinking, 'That's my life. Oh, my God, I did that.' Yeah, it's amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/sometimes-when-there-s-a-video-montage-i-m-thinking-that-s-my-life-oh/)

[Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/)

> [I would like my life to be a movie so I could cut to a montage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/i-would-like-my-life-to-be-a-movie-so-i-could-cut-to-a-montage/)

[Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/)

> [ “I skim through the issue \[of Elle\] and reach the offending photo, a montage that ridicules rather than glorifies our idol. It is one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dominique-bauby/i-skim-through-the-issue-of-elle-and-reach-the-offending-photo-a/)

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> [I think there's a lot of hope in my work. I don't think I'm a total pessimist, so I think you can find hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-hope-in-my-work-i-don-t-think-i-m-a-total/)

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> [“ I am not the star of a zombie movie. I am the guy in the background who gets eaten in the first montage. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/i-am-not-the-star-of-a-zombie-movie-i-am-the-guy-in-the-background/)

[David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/)

> [The ONE SHINING moment montage is the BEST shit OUT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/9th-wonder/the-one-shining-moment-montage-is-the-best-shit-out/)

[9th Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/9th-wonder/)

> [A montage is incredibly challenging. When I can, I'd like to know what the music is going to be ahead of time because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-maclaren/a-montage-is-incredibly-challenging-when-i-can-i-d-like-to-know-what/)

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## More by Jeff Mangum

> [You know, you struggle and cry and moan and thrash around and beat your head against the wall... and then you realize that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/you-know-you-struggle-and-cry-and-moan-and-thrash-around-and-beat/)

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> [My songs pretty much revolve in my brain most of the time - usually, whatevers coming next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/my-songs-pretty-much-revolve-in-my-brain-most-of-the-time-usually/)

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> [“And now a song for Jesus Christ and since this seems to confuse people I'd like to simply say that I mean what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/and-now-a-song-for-jesus-christ-and-since-this-seems-to-confuse/)

[Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/)

> [Soft silly music is meaningful, magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/soft-silly-music-is-meaningful-magical/)

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> [My songs pretty much revolve in my brain most of the time - usually, whatever's coming next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/my-songs-pretty-much-revolve-in-my-brain-most-of-the-time-usually-2/)

[Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/)

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[Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/)

[Explore all 39 Jeff Mangum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/)

## More Awe quotes

> [Because I've never had any higher education of any sort, I've never held in awe those who have had it or have a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/because-i-ve-never-had-any-higher-education-of-any-sort-i-ve-never/)

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> [Awe combined with intimacy is the essence of Christian worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/awe-combined-with-intimacy-is-the-essence-of-christian-worship/)

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> [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/)

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[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [Sometimes not seeing things can be a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/sometimes-not-seeing-things-can-be-a-blessing/)

[August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/)

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