Books Quote by Peter Mendelsund
““Writers reduce what they write, and readers reduce what they read. The brain itself is made to reduce, replace, emblemize... Verisimilitude is not only a false idol, but also an unattainable goal. So we reduce. And it is not without reverence that we reduce. This is how we apprehend our world. This is what humans do. Picturing stories is making reductions. Through reduction, we create meaning. These reductions are the world as we see it - they are what we see when we read, and they are what we see when we read the world. They are what reading looks like (if it looks like anything at all).””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Art of Book Design, 2015
Writing and reading involve simplifying reality to create meaning; reduction is essential to perception and storytelling.
In simple terms: We understand the world by simplifying it.
Key Takeaway
Embrace simplification to grasp complex ideas.
Themes
creativity
perception
meaning
reduction
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- writing
- reading
- teaching
- design
- analysis
Key Concepts
semiotics
cognitive psychology
literary theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does reduction shape your understanding of reality?
- When does simplification become distortion?
A Different Perspective
Simplification can omit nuance and lead to misinterpretation.
