--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea of some kind of objectively…" description: "\"The idea of some kind of objectively constant, universal literary value is seductive. It feels real. It feels like a stone cold fact that In Search of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/lev-grossman-747_able_the-idea-of-some-kind-of-objectively-con_828668.png" --- # The idea of some kind of objectively constant, universal… ![“The idea of some kind of objectively constant, universal literary value is seductive. It feels real. It feels like a stone cold fact that In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust, is better than A Shore Thing, by Snooki. And it may be; Snooki definitely has more one-star reviews on Amazon. But if…” quote by Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/lev-grossman-747_able_the-idea-of-some-kind-of-objectively-con_828668.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/lev-grossman-747_able_the-idea-of-some-kind-of-objectively-con_828668.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bf/lev-grossman-747_able_the-idea-of-some-kind-of-objectively-con_828668.png) > “The idea of some kind of objectively constant, universal literary value is seductive. It feels real. It feels like a stone cold fact that In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust, is better than A Shore Thing, by Snooki. And it may be; Snooki definitely has more one-star reviews on Amazon. But if literary value is real, no one seems to be able to locate it or define it very well. We're increasingly adrift in a grey void of aesthetic relativism.” [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions the existence of an objective, universal standard for literary merit, suggesting such a standard feels convincing but is elusive and leads to relativism. **In simple terms:** People crave a fixed measure of literary worth, but it’s hard to define. Key Takeaway Question the notion of a single literary hierarchy. Themes aesthetic relativism subjectivity literary criticism truth culture Mood reflective skeptical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - book clubs - academic curricula - publishing decisions - personal reading choices Key Concepts philosophy aesthetics critical theory Questions to Reflect On - How do we decide what makes a work great? - Can consensus replace objective standards? A Different Perspective Literary value may be socially constructed rather than absolute. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aesthetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aesthetic/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grey/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Lost time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-time/) [Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proust/) [Relativism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relativism/) [Seductive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seductive/) [Snooki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snooki/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/void/) ## Related quotes > [I believe my publisher has shown a great deal of faith in me over a lot of years but I'm not prepared to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/i-believe-my-publisher-has-shown-a-great-deal-of-faith-in-me-over-a/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [“...the representation of human character and personality remains always the supreme literary value, whether in drama, lyric or narrative. 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