--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a world where great…" description: "\"We live in a world where great incompatibles co-exist: the human scale and the superhuman scale, stability and mobility, permanence and change, identit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg" --- # We live in a world where great incompatibles co-exist: the… ![“We live in a world where great incompatibles co-exist: the human scale and the superhuman scale, stability and mobility, permanence and change, identity and anonymity, comprehensibility and universality.” quote by Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg) > “We live in a world where great incompatibles co-exist: the human scale and the superhuman scale, stability and mobility, permanence and change, identity and anonymity, comprehensibility and universality.” [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human and superhuman scales, stability and mobility, permanence and change, identity and anonymity, comprehensibility and universality coexist as great incompatibles. **In simple terms:** Opposite forces coexist in the world. Key Takeaway Navigate and balance contrasting forces. Themes philosophy contradiction scale identity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - urban planning - technology design - cultural studies - policy making Key Concepts duality complexity systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you reconcile stability with mobility? - What strategies manage identity vs. anonymity? A Different Perspective Balancing opposites can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anonymity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Permanence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanence/) [Stability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stability/) [Superhuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superhuman/) [Universality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universality/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“In powers of ten, humans exist almost halfway between the inconceivably big and the unimaginably tiny, and the final plunge from 10^-19 meters to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-scharf/in-powers-of-ten-humans-exist-almost-halfway-between-the/) [Caleb Scharf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-scharf/) > [Scale is very, very important, like the scale of a person is very important. It's to do with the size of our space, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-caro/scale-is-very-very-important-like-the-scale-of-a-person-is-very/) [Anthony Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-caro/) > [He chances of meeting someone with Barbie's human-scale measurements (36-18-33) is 1 in 100,000. The chances of meeting someone with Ken's is 1 in 50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-chances-of-meeting-someone-with-barbie-s-human-scale-measurements/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't want to lose the human scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-yamasaki/i-didn-t-want-to-lose-the-human-scale/) [Minoru Yamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-yamasaki/) > [The true work of art is always on the human scale. It is essentially the one that says, 'less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-true-work-of-art-is-always-on-the-human-scale-it-is-essentially/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Only architecture that considers human scale and interaction is successful architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-gehl/only-architecture-that-considers-human-scale-and-interaction-is/) [Jan Gehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-gehl/) > [Man knows that the world is not made on a human scale; and he wishes that it were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/man-knows-that-the-world-is-not-made-on-a-human-scale-and-he-wishes/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [“Not because we think that it's still about to happen, thus makes our future life as though yet to be exist. Human mind can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/not-because-we-think-that-it-s-still-about-to-happen-thus-makes-our/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Problems exist only in the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/problems-exist-only-in-the-human-mind/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/one-of-the-sayings-in-our-country-is-ubuntu-the-essence-of-being/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Nature is reminding us that it used to exist without human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/nature-is-reminding-us-that-it-used-to-exist-without-human-beings/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [Problems only exist in the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/problems-only-exist-in-the-human-mind/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“Even though we are always with God, a person who lives within the false human mind only has what is within his illusionary false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woo-myung/even-though-we-are-always-with-god-a-person-who-lives-within-the/) [Woo Myung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woo-myung/) > [We can't run out of resources. Resources exist when the human mind sees how to use something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/we-can-t-run-out-of-resources-resources-exist-when-the-human-mind/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [The one place gods inarguably exist is in the human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/the-one-place-gods-inarguably-exist-is-in-the-human-mind/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) ## More by Kenzo Tange > [I feel however, that we architects have a special duty and mission... (to contribute) to the socio-cultural development of architecture and urban planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/i-feel-however-that-we-architects-have-a-special-duty-and-mission-to/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Architecture must have something that appeals to the human heart. Creative work is expressed in our time as a union of technology and humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/architecture-must-have-something-that-appeals-to-the-human-heart/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Technological considerations are of great importance to architecture and cities in the informational society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/technological-considerations-are-of-great-importance-to-architecture/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Inconsistency itself breeds vitality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/inconsistency-itself-breeds-vitality/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Tradition can, to be sure, participate in a creation, but it can no longer be creative itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/tradition-can-to-be-sure-participate-in-a-creation-but-it-can-no/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [I first decided architecture was for me when I saw Le Corbusier's designs in a Japanese magazine in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/i-first-decided-architecture-was-for-me-when-i-saw-le-corbusier-s/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Designs of purely arbitrary nature cannot be expected to last long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/designs-of-purely-arbitrary-nature-cannot-be-expected-to-last-long/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [I like to think there is something deep in our own world of reality that will create a dynamic balance between technology and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/i-like-to-think-there-is-something-deep-in-our-own-world-of-reality/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [There is a powerful need for symbolism, and that means the architecture must have something that appeals to the human heart. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/there-is-a-powerful-need-for-symbolism-and-that-means-the/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Nevertheless, the basic forms, spaces, and appearances must be logical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/nevertheless-the-basic-forms-spaces-and-appearances-must-be-logical/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [In my opinion, further consideration of those views will help us find a way out of the current impasse, and reveal to us the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/in-my-opinion-further-consideration-of-those-views-will-help-us-find/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [I am aware of changes gradually taking place in my own designs as part of my thinking on this matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/i-am-aware-of-changes-gradually-taking-place-in-my-own-designs-as/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [In architecture, the demand was no longer for box-like forms, but for buildings that have something to say to the human emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/in-architecture-the-demand-was-no-longer-for-box-like-forms-but-for/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) > [Architects today tend to depreciate themselves, to regard themselves as no more than just ordinary citizens without the power to reform the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/architects-today-tend-to-depreciate-themselves-to-regard-themselves/) [Kenzo Tange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) [Explore all 15 Kenzo Tange quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/) ## More Anonymity quotes > [For me, getting comfortable with being famous was hard - that whole side of it, the loss of anonymity, the loss of privacy. Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/for-me-getting-comfortable-with-being-famous-was-hard-that-whole-side/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [I value my anonymity. I'm happy to come in on the tube or the train and watch other people reading 'Fifty Shades.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/i-value-my-anonymity-i-m-happy-to-come-in-on-the-tube-or-the-train/) [E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/) > [For many people in the west, Afghanistan is synonymous with the Soviet war and the Taliban. I wanted to remind people that Afghans had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/for-many-people-in-the-west-afghanistan-is-synonymous-with-the-soviet/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Way before Watergate, senior administration officials hid behind anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-woodward/way-before-watergate-senior-administration-officials-hid-behind/) [Bob Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-woodward/) > [The internet's perfect for all manner of things, but productive discussion ain't one of them. It provides scant room for debate and infinite opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/the-internet-s-perfect-for-all-manner-of-things-but-productive/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Both multiplayer games and online forums have this property of virtual anonymity. Other people can't really see you; they don't really know who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sweeney/both-multiplayer-games-and-online-forums-have-this-property-of/) [Tim Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sweeney/) > [People feel they can say nasty things and have anonymity behind the net - as they did with all the nasty comments about me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/people-feel-they-can-say-nasty-things-and-have-anonymity-behind-the/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [Anonymity would be a fantastic umbrella. I don't like intrusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anonymity-would-be-a-fantastic-umbrella-i-don-t-like-intrusion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wouldn't want to even try to begin to describe our customer, as I think she likes a certain amount of anonymity. I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/i-wouldn-t-want-to-even-try-to-begin-to-describe-our-customer-as-i/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [Most members of Gamergate, the alt-right movement best known for harassing women in the game industry, operate under a veil of anonymity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wu/most-members-of-gamergate-the-alt-right-movement-best-known-for/) [Brianna Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wu/) > [I came from anonymity, and I will continue to write as a private pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/i-came-from-anonymity-and-i-will-continue-to-write-as-a-private/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [The problem with losing your anonymity is that you can never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marla-maples/the-problem-with-losing-your-anonymity-is-that-you-can-never-go-back/) [Marla Maples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marla-maples/) > [Human beings are not meant to lose their anonymity and privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chalke/human-beings-are-not-meant-to-lose-their-anonymity-and-privacy/) [Sarah Chalke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chalke/) > [Privacy is important to me. But it's not just about sticking two fingers up and saying I don't want anyone to know my business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/privacy-is-important-to-me-but-it-s-not-just-about-sticking-two/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [Anonymity, in some cases a key civil liberty, also enables society's worst actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wil-wheaton/anonymity-in-some-cases-a-key-civil-liberty-also-enables-society-s/) [Wil Wheaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wil-wheaton/) [Browse all 285 Anonymity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anonymity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We live in a world where great incompatibles co-exist: the human scale and the superhuman scale, stability and mobility, permanence and change, identity and anonymity, comprehensibility and universality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenzo Tange" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompatibles-co-exist-the-human-scale/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anonymity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompatibles-co-exist-the-human-scale/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/kenzo-tange-32240_anonymity_we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompati_2664803.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We live in a world where great incompatibles co-exist: the human scale and the superhuman scale, stability…” — Kenzo Tange", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kenzo Tange", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzo-tange/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We live in a world where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompatibles-co-exist-the-human-scale/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzo-tange/we-live-in-a-world-where-great-incompatibles-co-exist-the-human-scale/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```