--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we are young, we spend much time and…" description: "\"When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in the hope th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arcs_when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and_96392.jpg" --- # When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling… ![“When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in the hope that, in the course of a few years, we shall have condensed into our encyclopaedia the net value of all the theories at which the world has yet…” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arcs_when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and_96392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arcs_when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and_96392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arcs_when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and_96392.jpg) > “When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in the hope that, in the course of a few years, we shall have condensed into our encyclopaedia the net value of all the theories at which the world has yet arrived. But year after year our tables get no completeness, and at last we discover that our curve is a parabola, whose arcs will never meet.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our lifelong quest to catalog human knowledge reveals an ever‑expanding curve, never reaching a final, complete understanding. **In simple terms:** Knowledge is an endless curve Key Takeaway Complete mastery is unattainable Themes knowledge humility growth philosophy Mood thoughtful humble Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - personal development - curriculum design - philosophical debate Key Concepts education theory incompleteness Practical Applications - lifelong learning programs - critical thinking seminars Questions to Reflect On - What does the curve symbolize for you? - How do you cope with perpetual incompleteness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-poetry/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Parabola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parabola/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Self discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-discovery/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [It is a curve each of them feels, unmistakably. It is the parabola. They must have guessed, once or twice - guessed and refused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/it-is-a-curve-each-of-them-feels-unmistakably-it-is-the-parabola-they/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [The curve of life is like the parabola of a projectile which, disturbed from its initial state of rest, rises and then returns to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-curve-of-life-is-like-the-parabola-of-a-projectile-which/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [As an artist, you don't think about the parabola or the arc you're describing or where you're going to ultimately end up, you're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nesmith/as-an-artist-you-don-t-think-about-the-parabola-or-the-arc-you-re/) [Michael Nesmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nesmith/) > [A circle swoop, and a quick parabola under the bridge arches Where light pushes through; A sudden turning upon itself of a thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/a-circle-swoop-and-a-quick-parabola-under-the-bridge-arches-where/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [She wore a short skirt and a tight sweater and her figure described a set of parabolas that could cause cardiac arrest in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/she-wore-a-short-skirt-and-a-tight-sweater-and-her-figure-described-a/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Cassidy's heart tried to leap out through his taught skin and hop into his wet hands. But outwardly it was all very calm, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-parker-jr/cassidy-s-heart-tried-to-leap-out-through-his-taught-skin-and-hop/) [John L. Parker Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-parker-jr/) > [“I have always had an uncomfortable relationship with math. I don’t like numbers for the sake of numbers. I am not impressed by fancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/i-have-always-had-an-uncomfortable-relationship-with-math-i-don-t/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [All travel is circular. I had been jerked through Asia, making a parabola on one of the planet's hemispheres. After all, the grand tour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/all-travel-is-circular-i-had-been-jerked-through-asia-making-a/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I am a Prince," he replied, being rather dense. "It is the function of a Prince—value A—to kill monsters—value B—for the purpose of establishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-am-a-prince-he-replied-being-rather-dense-it-is-the-function-of-a/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [It was an American who said that while a Frenchman's truth was akin to a straight line, a Welshman's truth was more in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-morris/it-was-an-american-who-said-that-while-a-frenchman-s-truth-was-akin/) [Jan Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-morris/) > [The conventional parabola--sentiment, the touch of the hand, the kiss, the passionate kiss, the feel of the body, the climax in the bed, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/the-conventional-parabola-sentiment-the-touch-of-the-hand-the-kiss/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [I heave the basketball; I know it sails in a parabola, exhibiting perfect symmetry, which is interrupted by the basket. It's funny, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-heave-the-basketball-i-know-it-sails-in-a-parabola-exhibiting/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Human history, like all great movements, was cyclical, and returned to the point of beginning. The idea of indefinite progress in a right line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/human-history-like-all-great-movements-was-cyclical-and-returned-to/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [We are eternal. All this pain is an illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/we-are-eternal-all-this-pain-is-an-illusion/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“Complete - Yourself! Others may only enhance your completeness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lashauna-d-hinton/complete-yourself-others-may-only-enhance-your-completeness/) Lashauna D. Hinton ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Arcs quotes > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [Through the music I hope to give it an arc that gives it a greater sense of a journey through the set rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/through-the-music-i-hope-to-give-it-an-arc-that-gives-it-a-greater/) [Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/) > [Because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think our lives are supposed to be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/because-we-grew-up-surrounded-by-big-dramatic-story-arcs-in-books-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Joan of Arc should be played as a "pain in the ass" and how do I know she was a "pain in the ass"?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clurman/joan-of-arc-should-be-played-as-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-how-do-i-know/) [Harold Clurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clurman/) > [When in doubt, the rule of threes is a rule that plays well with all of storytelling. When describing a thing? No more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/when-in-doubt-the-rule-of-threes-is-a-rule-that-plays-well-with-all/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [Sanchez looked at me and we locked eyes a second too long. There was nothing I could do about it. The signal went out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/sanchez-looked-at-me-and-we-locked-eyes-a-second-too-long-there-was/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I suppose that, for me at least, the biggest difference betweenThe Gunslinger Born and the next two story arcs (The Long Road Home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-furth/i-suppose-that-for-me-at-least-the-biggest-difference-betweenthe/) [Robin Furth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-furth/) > [We've got this arc of instability from North Africa to South Asia, and we have to pay close attention to it. And we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-ve-got-this-arc-of-instability-from-north-africa-to-south-asia-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one. . . . But from what I see I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/i-do-not-pretend-to-understand-the-moral-universe-the-arc-is-a-long/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [I think every woman character, every female character, has her own arc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katheryn-winnick/i-think-every-woman-character-every-female-character-has-her-own-arc/) [Katheryn Winnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katheryn-winnick/) > [I am committed now to one thing: lyric sequences. I want the intensity of lyric, but the scope and arc of narrative. so, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/i-am-committed-now-to-one-thing-lyric-sequences-i-want-the-intensity/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [We must move forward in the days ahead with audacious faith. The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-move-forward-in-the-days-ahead-with-audacious-faith-the-moral/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Most games follow a real railroad plot, no matter what you want, you're following their storyline to its unavoidable conclusion. I'd like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/most-games-follow-a-real-railroad-plot-no-matter-what-you-want-you-re/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Arc, amplitude, and curvature sustain a similar relation to each other as time, motion, and velocity, or as volume, mass, and density.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/arc-amplitude-and-curvature-sustain-a-similar-relation-to-each-other/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/it-seemed-to-take-sirius-an-age-to-fall-his-body-curved-in-a-graceful/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) Browse all 250 Arcs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in the hope that, in the course of a few years, we shall have condensed into our encyclopaedia the net value of all the theories at which the world has yet arrived. 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