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Cities Quote by Max Beerbohm

“A quiet city is a contradiction in terms. It is a thing uncanny, spectral.” quote by Max Beerbohm
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“A quiet city is a contradiction in terms. It is a thing uncanny, spectral.”

Max Beerbohm

About This Quote

Source Essay: "The City of the Dead", 1905, Publication

A city described as quiet is paradoxical, evoking an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.

In simple terms: Quiet cities feel strange and eerie.

Key Takeaway

Explore the unsettling aspects of seemingly calm environments.

Themes

urbanism paradox atmosphere

Mood

reflective poetic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • urban planning
  • nighttime city walks
  • psychological studies

Key Concepts

Existential dread perception

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do we associate quiet with unease?
  • What does a "quiet city" reveal about human perception?
A Different Perspective

Quiet may mask underlying tension.

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