Day life Quote by Peter L. Berger
““The reality of everyday life further presents itself to me as an intersubjective world, a world that I share with others. This intersubjectivity sharply differentiates everyday life from other realities of which I am conscious. I am alone in the world of my dreams, but I know that the world of everyday life is as real to others as it is to myself. Indeed, I cannot exist in everyday life without continually interacting and communicating with others. I know that my natural attitude to this world corresponds to the natural attitude of others, that they also comprehend the objectifications by which this world is ordered, that they also organize this world around the “here and now” of their being in it and have projects for working in it. I also know, of course, that the others have a perspective on this common world that is not identical with mine. My “here” is their “there.” My “now” does not fully overlap with theirs. My projects differ from and may even conflict with theirs. All the same, I know that I live with them in a common world. Most importantly, I know that there is an ongoing correspondence between my meanings and their meanings in this world, that we share a common sense about its reality. The natural attitude is the attitude of commonsense consciousness precisely because it refers to a world that is common to many men. Commonsense knowledge is the knowledge I share with others in the normal, self-evident routines of everyday life. The””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Social Construction of Reality, Peter L. Berger & Thomas Luckmann, 1966
Everyday life is a shared, intersubjective world where we constantly interact, communicate, and align meanings with others, despite differing perspectives and projects.
In simple terms: Life is a shared world built through interaction.
Recognize and respect others’ viewpoints in daily life.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- workplace collaboration
- family discussions
- community planning
- conflict resolution
- cross‑cultural exchange
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you negotiate meaning when perspectives clash?
- What habits foster shared understanding?
Differences in perspective can cause misunderstanding despite shared reality.