Arrogant Quote by Paul Theroux
“Connection" is the triumphal cry these days. Connection has made people arrogant, impatient, hasty, and presumptuous. ...I don't doubt that instant communication has been good for business, even for the publishing business, but it has done nothing for literature, and might even have harmed it. In many ways connection has been disastrous. We have confused information (of which there is too much) with ideas (of which there are too few). I found out much more about the world and myself by being unconnected.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Reflections on Modern Communication, 2010s (publication unknown)
Instant communication amplifies connection but erodes depth, causing information overload and diminishing literary quality
In simple terms: Too much connection leads to shallow ideas and harms literature
Key Takeaway
Prioritize depth over speed in sharing ideas
Themes
communication
technology
literature
society
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- business
- publishing
- personal reading habits
- creative writing
Key Concepts
information overload
loss of depth
cultural impact
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance connectivity with contemplation?
- What practices restore deep reading in a hyper‑connected world?
A Different Perspective
Connection can also foster collaboration and rapid problem solving
![“[T]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom, just waiting for us to pick the whole thing up and heave it away. It has to happen. Free people can put up with such laws only for so long.” quote by Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aed/dick-armey-16265_america_t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-af_12886.jpg)
