--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s a secondhand world we’re born into…" description: "\"“It’s a secondhand world we’re born into. What is novel to us is only so because we’re newborn, and what we cannot see, that has come before- what our ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/katherine-min-98973_beauty_it-s-a-secondhand-world-we-re-born-into_648459.jpg" --- # It’s a secondhand world we’re born into. What is novel to… ![“It’s a secondhand world we’re born into. What is novel to us is only so because we’re newborn, and what we cannot see, that has come before- what our parents have seen and been and done- are the hand-me-downs we begin to wear as swaddling clothes, even as we ourselves are naked. The flaw runs…” quote by Katherine Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/katherine-min-98973_beauty_it-s-a-secondhand-world-we-re-born-into_648459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/katherine-min-98973_beauty_it-s-a-secondhand-world-we-re-born-into_648459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/katherine-min-98973_beauty_it-s-a-secondhand-world-we-re-born-into_648459.jpg) > ““It’s a secondhand world we’re born into. What is novel to us is only so because we’re newborn, and what we cannot see, that has come before- what our parents have seen and been and done- are the hand-me-downs we begin to wear as swaddling clothes, even as we ourselves are naked. The flaw runs through us, implicating us in its imperfection even as it separates us, delivers us onto opposite sides of a chasm. It is both terribly beautiful and terribly sad, but it is, finally, the fault in the universe that gives birth to us all.”” Katherine Min ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We inherit cultural and familial legacies; these inherited flaws and beauties shape our humanity. **In simple terms:** We are shaped by inherited histories. Key Takeaway Abrace both inherited beauty and imperfection. Themes inheritance humanity beauty imperfection Mood statement philosophical Type Beauty:1 Birth:0 Life:0 Parents:0 Perspective:0 Secondhand:0 Vision:0 World:0 Secondhand World:0 Born Novel:0 Novel Newborn:0 When to use this quote - Overemphasis on inheritance can downplay personal agency. Key Concepts family history cultural identity personal growth Questions to Reflect On - reflective - bitissful A Different Perspective What parts of your identity are inherited versus chosen?;How do you transform inherited flaws into strengths? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Secondhand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secondhand/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I had never known the pleasure of reading, of exploring the recesses of the soul, of letting myself be carried away by imagination, beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/i-had-never-known-the-pleasure-of-reading-of-exploring-the-recesses/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [When I started running, a gadget was a wristwatch with a secondhand on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-kardong/when-i-started-running-a-gadget-was-a-wristwatch-with-a-secondhand-on/) [Don Kardong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-kardong/) > [“Secondhand books are full of mysteries, which is why I like them. 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It's too expensive otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-rose/i-have-a-lot-of-vinyl-but-i-only-buy-old-records-on-vinyl-like/) [Caitlin Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-rose/) > [“What a treasure, to meet with any thing a new heart-- all hearts, nowadays, are secondhand at best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/what-a-treasure-to-meet-with-any-thing-a-new-heart-all-hearts/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [Have you had your bad luck, until today, You Got Everything As Secondhand! So, What's You Thinks About Marry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/have-you-had-your-bad-luck-until-today-you-got-everything-as/) Mak\_786 > [When my kids were toddlers, they had all these rotomolded plastic things. My life became surrounded by big, hollow plastic toys - from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lynn/when-my-kids-were-toddlers-they-had-all-these-rotomolded-plastic/) [Greg Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lynn/) > [I do love secondhand books that open to the page some previous owner read oftenest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-hanff/i-do-love-secondhand-books-that-open-to-the-page-some-previous-owner/) [Helene Hanff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-hanff/) > [I've always been kind of deep into thrifting and secondhand clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-mooney/i-ve-always-been-kind-of-deep-into-thrifting-and-secondhand-clothing/) [Kyle Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-mooney/) ## More by Katherine Min > [“Eyes that looked out into the world, that took in so cleverly light, shape, and movement--why should it be important what they themselves looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-min/eyes-that-looked-out-into-the-world-that-took-in-so-cleverly-light/) Katherine Min Explore all 2 Katherine Min quotes ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. 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