Artificial Quote by Mary Ruefle
“Polar fleece is a plush, spongy, totally artificial material that weighs nothing and conveys no quality of warmth or coolness; in fact, you can wear it in the most bitter weather or in the hottest heat. Polar fleece looks neither flimsy and light nor hearty and warm. It has no historical, cultural, or physical association with a place, a season, a society, or any living thing. It is the first existential fabric - eminentaly useful, meaningless, dissociated and weird.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Existential Fabric, Mary Ruefle, 2015
Polar fleece is described as a synthetic, weightless material lacking cultural or environmental ties, making it a metaphor for meaningless utility.
In simple terms: A synthetic fabric that is useful but lacks meaning.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when usefulness lacks deeper significance.
Themes
meaninglessness
material culture
existentialism
Mood
thoughtful
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- fashion design
- product marketing
- environmental design
- consumer critique
Key Concepts
synthetic fibers
cultural symbolism
materialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean for an object to be 'meaningless'?
- How do we assign value to utilitarian items?
A Different Perspective
Its practicality may mask ecological impact.
![“I don't have any regrets about the album [Veedon Fleece]. But it's the same old story - an album is basically 35 or 40 minutes of what you do. It's 'part' of what you do.” quote by Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/580/van-morrison-1192_albums_i-don-t-have-any-regrets-about-the-album_1078149.jpg)
