--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe each human being lives in a unique…" description: "\"“Maybe each human being lives in a unique world, a private world different from those inhabited and experienced by all other humans. . . If reality dif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/philip-k-dick-502_quote_maybe-each-human-being-lives-in-a-unique_234600.jpg" --- # Maybe each human being lives in a unique world, a private… ![“Maybe each human being lives in a unique world, a private world different from those inhabited and experienced by all other humans. . . If reality differs from person to person, can we speak of reality singular, or shouldn't we really be talking about plural realities? And if there are plural…” quote by Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/philip-k-dick-502_quote_maybe-each-human-being-lives-in-a-unique_234600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/philip-k-dick-502_quote_maybe-each-human-being-lives-in-a-unique_234600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/philip-k-dick-502_quote_maybe-each-human-being-lives-in-a-unique_234600.jpg) > ““Maybe each human being lives in a unique world, a private world different from those inhabited and experienced by all other humans. . . If reality differs from person to person, can we speak of reality singular, or shouldn't we really be talking about plural realities? And if there are plural realities, are some more true (more real) than others? What about the world of a schizophrenic? Maybe it's as real as our world. Maybe we cannot say that we are in touch with reality and he is not, but should instead say, His reality is so different from ours that he can't explain his to us, and we can't explain ours to him. The problem, then, is that if subjective worlds are experienced too differently, there occurs a breakdown in communication ... and there is the real illness.”” [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reality may be subjective, leading to multiple personal worlds that can hinder communication and cause misunderstanding. **In simple terms:** People experience different realities, making communication hard. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect differing perspectives. Themes perception subjectivity communication Mood thoughtful philosophical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - interpersonal dialogue - therapy - conflict resolution Key Concepts pluralism epistemology mental health Questions to Reflect On - How do you validate others' experiences? - Can multiple realities coexist peacefully? A Different Perspective Assuming a single objective reality can ignore valid experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Plural Realities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plural-realities-2367138/) [Realities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realities/) [Realities Plural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realities-plural-2367140/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Differs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-differs-2367141/) [Reality Singular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-singular-2367139/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe each human being lives in a unique world, a private world different from those inhabited and experienced by all other humans. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/maybe-each-human-being-lives-in-a-unique-world-a-private-world-2/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“Objective reality is a synthetic construct, dealing with a hypothetical universalization of a multitude of subjective realities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/objective-reality-is-a-synthetic-construct-dealing-with-a/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“But I consider that the matter of defining what is real — that is a serious topic, even a vital topic. And in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/but-i-consider-that-the-matter-of-defining-what-is-real-that-is-a/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [We live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the media, by governments, by big corporations, by religious groups, political groups.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/we-live-in-a-society-in-which-spurious-realities-are-manufactured-by/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Because today we live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the media, by governments, by big corporations, by religious groups,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/because-today-we-live-in-a-society-in-which-spurious-realities-are/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Woe to him whose beliefs play fast and loose with the order which realities follow in his experience; they will lead him nowhere or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/woe-to-him-whose-beliefs-play-fast-and-loose-with-the-order-which/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Civilisation consists in giving something a name that doesn't belong to it and then dreaming over the result. And the false name joined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/civilisation-consists-in-giving-something-a-name-that-doesn-t-belong/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Being and not being are not two different realities, but two different aspects of the same reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/being-and-not-being-are-not-two-different-realities-but-two-different/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [What we, thanks to Jung, call "synchronicity" (coincidence on steroids), Buddhists have long known as "the interpenetration of realities." Whether it's a natural law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/what-we-thanks-to-jung-call-synchronicity-coincidence-on-steroids/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Images can make realities out of people and struggles - the reality we give them. Images really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/images-can-make-realities-out-of-people-and-struggles-the-reality-we/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [“Remember, your audience is aware of the realities, but they would like to hear it from you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-kapoor/remember-your-audience-is-aware-of-the-realities-but-they-would-like/) [Virender Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-kapoor/) > [...there's no rule book or game plan when it comes to the grim realities of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/there-s-no-rule-book-or-game-plan-when-it-comes-to-the-grim-realities/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [For Jesus, heaven and hell were present realities. Ways of living we can enter into here and now. He talked very little of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/for-jesus-heaven-and-hell-were-present-realities-ways-of-living-we/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [I think that once I started connecting dots of where my food was coming from and the reality of that, as opposed to maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-think-that-once-i-started-connecting-dots-of-where-my-food-was/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [What we think of as physical reality is an intermingling of appropriate realities, a fluid massive consciousness in which each of us exists independently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/what-we-think-of-as-physical-reality-is-an-intermingling-of/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) ## More by Philip K. Dick > [So we and our elaborately evolving computers may meet each other halfway. Someday a human being, named perhaps Fred White, may shoot a robot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/so-we-and-our-elaborately-evolving-computers-may-meet-each-other/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Even if all life on our planet is destroyed, there must be other life somewhere which we know nothing of. It is impossible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/even-if-all-life-on-our-planet-is-destroyed-there-must-be-other-life/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“That is not how you do it; you do not solve one problem with another, greater problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/that-is-not-how-you-do-it-you-do-not-solve-one-problem-with-another/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Why does a man cry? he wondered. Not like a woman; not for that. Not for sentiment. A man cries over the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/why-does-a-man-cry-he-wondered-not-like-a-woman-not-for-that-not-for/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? The manic psychoses of those entities we referred to as states, institutions, systems -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-day-came-the-wrath-descended-sin-guilt-and-retribution-the-manic/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The church of my choice is the free, open world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-church-of-my-choice-is-the-free-open-world/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“I see,' Rick said. He felt numb. Completely. Throughout his entire body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-see-rick-said-he-felt-numb-completely-throughout-his-entire-body/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-is-identity-he-asked-himself-where-does-the-act-end-nobody-knows/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [What scared me the most was when my father would put on the gasmask. His face would disappear... This was not a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-scared-me-the-most-was-when-my-father-would-put-on-the-gasmask/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“A man is an angel that has become deranged, Joe Fernwright thought. Once they – all of them – had been genuine angels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-man-is-an-angel-that-has-become-deranged-joe-fernwright-thought/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/when-do-i-see-a-photograph-when-a-reflection/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) [Explore all 489 Philip K. Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## More Realities quotes > [Woe to him whose beliefs play fast and loose with the order which realities follow in his experience; they will lead him nowhere or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/woe-to-him-whose-beliefs-play-fast-and-loose-with-the-order-which/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think that once I started connecting dots of where my food was coming from and the reality of that, as opposed to maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-think-that-once-i-started-connecting-dots-of-where-my-food-was/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [For Jesus, heaven and hell were present realities. Ways of living we can enter into here and now. He talked very little of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/for-jesus-heaven-and-hell-were-present-realities-ways-of-living-we/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [...there's no rule book or game plan when it comes to the grim realities of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/there-s-no-rule-book-or-game-plan-when-it-comes-to-the-grim-realities/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“Remember, your audience is aware of the realities, but they would like to hear it from you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virender-kapoor/remember-your-audience-is-aware-of-the-realities-but-they-would-like/) [Virender Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virender-kapoor/) > [“Being and not being are not two different realities, but two different aspects of the same reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/being-and-not-being-are-not-two-different-realities-but-two-different/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Civilisation consists in giving something a name that doesn't belong to it and then dreaming over the result. And the false name joined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/civilisation-consists-in-giving-something-a-name-that-doesn-t-belong/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [What we think of as physical reality is an intermingling of appropriate realities, a fluid massive consciousness in which each of us exists independently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/what-we-think-of-as-physical-reality-is-an-intermingling-of/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [What we, thanks to Jung, call "synchronicity" (coincidence on steroids), Buddhists have long known as "the interpenetration of realities." Whether it's a natural law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/what-we-thanks-to-jung-call-synchronicity-coincidence-on-steroids/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Images can make realities out of people and struggles - the reality we give them. Images really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/images-can-make-realities-out-of-people-and-struggles-the-reality-we/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [When you suffer a loss, there is before the death and after the death - those become your two existences and your two realities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/when-you-suffer-a-loss-there-is-before-the-death-and-after-the-death/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [i never understood society. i undersand that it works somehow and that it functions as a reality and that its realities are necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-never-understood-society-i-undersand-that-it-works-somehow-and-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Once we have conceived of time and space, once we have accepted their existence, then that implies that there is a structural order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/once-we-have-conceived-of-time-and-space-once-we-have-accepted-their/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The truth is, there are no alternate realities. At least not the way Penny describes them. Maybe an infinite multiverse is born from every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elan-mastai/the-truth-is-there-are-no-alternate-realities-at-least-not-the-way/) [Elan Mastai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elan-mastai/) > [Historically, epics are set in Africa or Asia or the Wild West, but if you make an epic today it's hard to disassociate from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/historically-epics-are-set-in-africa-or-asia-or-the-wild-west-but-if/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) [Browse all 424 Realities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe each human being lives in a unique world, a private world different from those inhabited and experienced by all other humans. . . If reality differs from person to person, can we speak of reality singular, or shouldn't we really be talking about plural realities? And if there are plural realities, are some more true (more real) than others? What about the world of a schizophrenic? Maybe it's as real as our world. Maybe we cannot say that we are in touch with reality and he is not, but should instead say, His reality is so different from ours that he can't explain his to us, and we can't explain ours to him. The problem, then, is that if subjective worlds are experienced too differently, there occurs a breakdown in communication ... and there is the real illness.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip K. 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