Books Quote by Lewis Thomas
“We pass the word around; we ponder how the case is put by different people, we read the poetry; we meditate over the literature; we play the music; we change our minds; we reach an understanding. Society evolves this way, not by shouting each other down, but by the unique capacity of unique, individual human beings to comprehend each other.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Lives of a Cell, 1974
Understanding emerges through shared culture, dialogue, and art, not through conflict.
In simple terms: Culture and dialogue build understanding.
Key Takeaway
Foster open exchange and appreciation of arts.
Themes
culture
dialogue
understanding
society
individualism
Mood
reflective
hopeful
inspirational
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- community events
- team meetings
- cross‑cultural workshops
Key Concepts
humanism
collective intelligence
empathy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure all voices are heard?
- What role does art play in social change?
A Different Perspective
May overlook power imbalances that silence some voices.
![“Entranced by the denotative power of words to define, to order, to represent the things around us, weve overlooked the songful dimension of language so obvious to our oral [storytelling] ancestors. Weve lost our ear for the music of language -- for the rhythmic, melodic layer of speech by which…” quote by David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/023/david-abram-15943_ancestor_entranced-by-the-denotative-power-of-wor_1198850.jpg)
