--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I mean (and everybody else means) by…" description: "\"What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word 'quality' cannot be broken down into subjects and predicates. This is not because Quality is so myst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png" --- # What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word… ![“What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word 'quality' cannot be broken down into subjects and predicates. This is not because Quality is so mysterious but because Quality is so simple, immediate and direct.” quote by Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png) > “What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word 'quality' cannot be broken down into subjects and predicates. This is not because Quality is so mysterious but because Quality is so simple, immediate and direct.” [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Quality is an immediate, simple experience, not a complex logical construct. **In simple terms:** Quality is felt directly, not analyzed. Key Takeaway Seek direct experience of quality. Themes philosophy quality perception Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - product design - personal decision‑making - artistic creation Key Concepts phenomenology epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What moments have you felt pure quality? - How do you distinguish quality from preference? A Different Perspective Quality can be subjective and vary across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Zen motorcycle maintenance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zen-motorcycle-maintenance/) ## Related quotes > [Any philosophic explanation of Quality is going to be both false and true precisely because it is a philosophic explanation. The process of philosophic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/any-philosophic-explanation-of-quality-is-going-to-be-both-false-and/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“This is what is called 'The mysterious Quality' (of the Tao).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/this-is-what-is-called-the-mysterious-quality-of-the-tao/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“The mysterious quality of artworks is a signal of the mysterious quality of objects in general. Beauty is a secret that we know exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-morton/the-mysterious-quality-of-artworks-is-a-signal-of-the-mysterious/) [Timothy Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-morton/) > [Women were also urged to work on a mysterious quality called 'fascination.' Coming of age in the 1920's was a competitive business...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/women-were-also-urged-to-work-on-a-mysterious-quality-called/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Usefulness! It is not a fascinating word, and the quality is not one of which the aspiring spirit can dream o' nights, yet on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-terry/usefulness-it-is-not-a-fascinating-word-and-the-quality-is-not-one-of/) [Ellen Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-terry/) > [“Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-know-why-books-such-as-this-are-so-important-because-they-have-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-know-why-books-such-as-this-are-so-important-because-they-have/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [What's wrong with technology is that it's not connected in any real way with matters of the spirit and of the heart. And so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-s-wrong-with-technology-is-that-it-s-not-connected-in-any-real/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Quality... you know what it is, yet you don't know what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/quality-you-know-what-it-is-yet-you-don-t-know-what-it-is/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [That's all the motorcycle is, a system of concepts worked out in steel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/that-s-all-the-motorcycle-is-a-system-of-concepts-worked-out-in-steel/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [In the temple of science are many mansions ... and various indeed are they that dwell therein and the motives that have led them thither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/in-the-temple-of-science-are-many-mansions-and-various-indeed-are-2/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The best students always are flunking. Every good teacher knows that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-best-students-always-are-flunking-every-good-teacher-knows-that/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [If a revolution destroys a systematic government, but the systematic patterns of thought that produced that government are left intact, then those patterns will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/if-a-revolution-destroys-a-systematic-government-but-the-systematic/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [To speak of certain government and establishment institutions as 'the system' is to speak correctly . . . They are sustained by structural relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/to-speak-of-certain-government-and-establishment-institutions-as-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-know-why-books-such-as-this-are-so-important-because-they-have-3/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More by Robert M. Pirsig > [“And from time to time you find your “county road” takes you onto a two-rutter and then a single rutter and then into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/and-from-time-to-time-you-find-your-county-road-takes-you-onto-a-two/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“I started to roll over for more sleep but heard a rooster crowing and then became aware we are on vacation and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/i-started-to-roll-over-for-more-sleep-but-heard-a-rooster-crowing-and/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The Buddha, the Godhead, resides quite as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-buddha-the-godhead-resides-quite-as-comfortably-in-the-circuits/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Even though quality cannot be defined, you know what quality is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/even-though-quality-cannot-be-defined-you-know-what-quality-is/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [I suppose philosophy is historically not a woman's game, though that is changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/i-suppose-philosophy-is-historically-not-a-woman-s-game-though-that/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Up until my first book was published, I had all this potential, people would say, and I screwed up. After it, I could say:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/up-until-my-first-book-was-published-i-had-all-this-potential-people/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [There is a perennial classical question that asks which part of the motorcycle, which grain of sand in which pile, is the Buddha. Obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/there-is-a-perennial-classical-question-that-asks-which-part-of-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“Of the value traps, the most widespread and pernicious is value rigidity. This is an inability to revalue what one sees because of commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/of-the-value-traps-the-most-widespread-and-pernicious-is-value/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“Historically mystics have claimed that for a true understanding of reality metaphysics is too “scientific”. Metaphysics is not reality. Metaphysics is names about reality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/historically-mystics-have-claimed-that-for-a-true-understanding-of/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [“What’s emerging from the pattern of my own life is the for belief that the crisis is being caused by the inadequacy of existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-s-emerging-from-the-pattern-of-my-own-life-is-the-for-belief/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [To speak of certain government and establishment institutions as 'the system' is to speak correctly . . . They are sustained by structural relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/to-speak-of-certain-government-and-establishment-institutions-as-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [If a revolution destroys a systematic government, but the systematic patterns of thought that produced that government are left intact, then those patterns will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/if-a-revolution-destroys-a-systematic-government-but-the-systematic/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-only-zen-you-can-find-on-the-tops-of-mountains-is-the-zen-you/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Only social patterns can control biological patterns, and the instrument of conversation between society and biology is not words. The instrument of conversation between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/only-social-patterns-can-control-biological-patterns-and-the/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Even in the presence of others he was completely alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/even-in-the-presence-of-others-he-was-completely-alone/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) [Explore all 351 Robert M. Pirsig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word 'quality' cannot be broken down into subjects and predicates. This is not because Quality is so mysterious but because Quality is so simple, immediate and direct.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert M. Pirsig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by-the-word-quality-cannot-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broken" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by-the-word-quality-cannot-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/robert-m-pirsig-817_broken_what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by_3163022.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word 'quality' cannot be broken down into subjects and…” — Robert M. Pirsig", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert M. Pirsig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What I mean (and everybody else...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by-the-word-quality-cannot-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-i-mean-and-everybody-else-means-by-the-word-quality-cannot-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```