Best things Quote by Joseph Campbell
“The best things cannot be told because they transcend thought. The second best are misunderstood because they are the thoughts that are supposed to refer to that which cannot be thought about. The third best are what we talk about.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: The Best Things Cannot Be Told, 1972
Explores layers of expression: the ineffable, misunderstood, and commonly spoken ideas.
In simple terms: Some ideas are beyond words.
Key Takeaway
Seek deeper understanding beyond language.
Themes
communication
philosophy
expression
Mood
thoughtful
contemplative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- teaching
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
ineffability
misinterpretation
dialogue
Questions to Reflect On
- What is the most ineffable experience you’ve had?
- How do you convey complex feelings?
A Different Perspective
Risk of over‑intellectualizing simple truths.
![“That is the definition of truth, it is the thing you must not say. “The miracle into which the child and the poet walk” [Tsvetaeva] as if walking home, and home is there…The thing that is both known and unknown, this is what we are looking for when we write. We go toward the most unknown and the…” quote by Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b25/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_depths_that-is-the-definition-of-truth-it-is-th_1161068.jpg)
![“The fall [of your soul] from perfection into duality...was naturally followed by the discovery of the duality of good and evil...This is the Biblical version of a myth known to many lands.” quote by Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9ff/joseph-campbell-300_biblical_the-fall-of-your-soul-from-perfection-in_22526.jpg)
