--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps the inevitable tragedy of our…" description: "\"Perhaps the inevitable tragedy of our complex civilization is that we must be specialists in our fields - and our fields have become increasingly diffi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/joyce-carol-oates-344_civilization_perhaps-the-inevitable-tragedy-of-our-co_1162891.png" --- # Perhaps the inevitable tragedy of our complex civilization… ![“Perhaps the inevitable tragedy of our complex civilization is that we must be specialists in our fields - and our fields have become increasingly difficult, so that communication is nearly impossible.” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/joyce-carol-oates-344_civilization_perhaps-the-inevitable-tragedy-of-our-co_1162891.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/joyce-carol-oates-344_civilization_perhaps-the-inevitable-tragedy-of-our-co_1162891.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/joyce-carol-oates-344_civilization_perhaps-the-inevitable-tragedy-of-our-co_1162891.png) > “Perhaps the inevitable tragedy of our complex civilization is that we must be specialists in our fields - and our fields have become increasingly difficult, so that communication is nearly impossible.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex societies create deep specialization, making cross‑field communication hard. **In simple terms:** Specialization hinders communication. Key Takeaway Foster interdisciplinary dialogue. Themes specialization communication complexity Mood concerned analytical Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - academia - industry - policy making - collaboration Key Concepts knowledge silos interdisciplinary work Questions to Reflect On - How can specialists bridge gaps? - What are the costs of isolation? A Different Perspective Depth of expertise may limit broader understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Specialization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specialization/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [Communication with the dead is only a little more difficult than communication with some of the living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/communication-with-the-dead-is-only-a-little-more-difficult-than/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [The time is probably not far distant when music will stand revealed perchance as the mightiest of the arts, and certainly as the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-reginald-haweis/the-time-is-probably-not-far-distant-when-music-will-stand-revealed/) [Hugh Reginald Haweis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-reginald-haweis/) > [“The 'ulama', by tightly controlling what went into the history books, were able to propagate an understanding of their own dazzlingly rich and complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holland/the-ulama-by-tightly-controlling-what-went-into-the-history-books/) [Tom Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holland/) > [“Intellectually curious men become generalists. Intellectually lazy men settle for being specialists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/intellectually-curious-men-become-generalists-intellectually-lazy-men/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A specialist’s mind is a slave to his specialization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-specialist-s-mind-is-a-slave-to-his-specialization/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The range of human knowledge today is so great that we're all specialists and the distance between specializations has become so great that anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-range-of-human-knowledge-today-is-so-great-that-we-re-all/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“I spent most of my life trying to specialize myself. I went to theater school, film school, music school, mime school ... Finally, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-roque/i-spent-most-of-my-life-trying-to-specialize-myself-i-went-to-theater/) Nuno Roque > [“Imagine if one should drag an innocent passer-by from the street to the operating room of a nearby hospital and force him at gunpoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/imagine-if-one-should-drag-an-innocent-passer-by-from-the-street-to/) [Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/) > [The trouble with specialists is that they tend to think in grooves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-morgan/the-trouble-with-specialists-is-that-they-tend-to-think-in-grooves/) [Elaine Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-morgan/) > [I find it is increasingly difficult to spend the time I need with my family and at the same time do the job that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-baird/i-find-it-is-increasingly-difficult-to-spend-the-time-i-need-with-my/) [Brian Baird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-baird/) > [I keep thinking I should get a phone, because everyone's got one and it becomes increasingly difficult to exist in a society where everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/i-keep-thinking-i-should-get-a-phone-because-everyone-s-got-one-and/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [It's getting increasingly difficult to be a dreamer under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-dee/it-s-getting-increasingly-difficult-to-be-a-dreamer-under-any/) [Ruby Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-dee/) > [With the corporatization and privatization of higher education, it is increasingly more difficult for colleges and universities to expand and deepen democratic public life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/with-the-corporatization-and-privatization-of-higher-education-it-is/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [While more great films are being made every year, it is increasingly difficult to get indies into theaters or on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-semel/while-more-great-films-are-being-made-every-year-it-is-increasingly/) [Terry Semel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-semel/) > [After an author has been dead for some time, it becomes increasingly difficult for his publishers to get out a new book by him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/after-an-author-has-been-dead-for-some-time-it-becomes-increasingly/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. 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For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Civilization quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. 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