Change Quote by Nathanael West
““He Sat in the window thinking. Man has a tropism for order. Keys in one pocket, change in the other. Mandolins are tuned G D A E. The physical world has a tropism for disorder, entropy. Man against Nature...the battle of the centuries. Keys yearn to mix with change. Mandolins strive to get out of tune. Every order has within it the germ of destruction. All order is doomed, yet the battle is worth wile.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Day of the Locust, 1939
The quote reflects humanity’s innate drive for order clashing with the natural tendency toward disorder, suggesting that every system contains seeds of its own decay, yet the struggle itself is meaningful.
In simple terms: Humans seek order but nature trends toward chaos; the fight is worthwhile.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the struggle between order and chaos.
Themes
order
entropy
conflict
human nature
purpose
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
existential
When to use this quote
- creative work
- scientific research
- personal organization
- social movements
- environmental policy
Key Concepts
philosophy
systems theory
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance the desire for order with inevitable change?
- What value does the struggle itself provide?
A Different Perspective
Order may be temporary and can be overridden by change.
