Nervous system Quote by Jeffrey Eugenides
““I'd never been this close to the Obscure Object before. It was hard on my organism. My nervous system launched into "Flight of the Bumblebee." The violins were sawing away in my spine. The timpani were banging in my chest. At the same time, trying to conceal all of this, I didn't move a muscle. I heardly breathed. That was the deal basically: catatonia without; frenzy within.””
About This Quote
Intense artistic experiences can cause internal turmoil while the body remains still.
In simple terms: Art can stir inner chaos.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and honor emotional responses to art.
Themes
art
emotional intensity
physiology
Mood
intense
reflective
Type
descriptive
philosophical
When to use this quote
- concerts
- theater
- personal reflection
- trauma
Key Concepts
neuroscience
aesthetics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does art affect your body?
- Can you channel this energy?
A Different Perspective
Physical stillness may mask health risks.
![“It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic [totally silent] chamber not expecting in that silent room to hear two sounds: one high, my nervous system in operation, one low, my blood in circulation. The reason I did not expect to hear those two sounds was that they…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/153/john-cage-2094_blood_it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years_56114.jpg)
