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Banality Quote by Nelson Goodman

“Any effort... to make the obscure obvious is likely to be unappealing, for the penalty of failure is confusion while the reward of success is banality.” quote by Nelson Goodman
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“Any effort... to make the obscure obvious is likely to be unappealing, for the penalty of failure is confusion while the reward of success is banality.”

Nelson Goodman

About This Quote

Source Essay: "The Paradox of the Obscure Made Obvious", 1971

Making hidden ideas clear can be dull; failure brings confusion, success may be trivial.

In simple terms: Clarity can be boring; failure confuses.

Key Takeaway

Seek depth, not just clarity.

Themes

communication creativity risk

Mood

analytical critical

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

  • teaching
  • design
  • writing
  • public speaking

Key Concepts

aesthetics philosophy information theory

Questions to Reflect On

  • When does clarity become banality?
  • How to balance simplicity with richness?
A Different Perspective

Over‑simplification may strip meaning.

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