--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Affect is perhaps the most difficult…" description: "\"“Affect is perhaps the most difficult plane of human life to define and describe, not merely because it is a-signifying (and contemporary theory is so ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg" --- # Affect is perhaps the most difficult plane of human life… ![“Affect is perhaps the most difficult plane of human life to define and describe, not merely because it is a-signifying (and contemporary theory is so heavily directed toward signifying practices), but also because there is no critical vocabulary to describe its forms and structures.” quote by Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg) > ““Affect is perhaps the most difficult plane of human life to define and describe, not merely because it is a-signifying (and contemporary theory is so heavily directed toward signifying practices), but also because there is no critical vocabulary to describe its forms and structures.”” [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Affect is hard to define because language lacks terms for its nuanced forms and structures. **In simple terms:** Affect is hard to name. Key Takeaway Develop richer vocabularies for emotions. Themes emotion language theory Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - art criticism - psychotherapy - marketing - education Key Concepts philosophy linguistics cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - How can we better articulate complex feelings? - What tools help bridge affect and language? A Different Perspective Focusing only on affect may ignore rational analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affect/) [Affect Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affect-difficult-5623874/) [Contemporary Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary-theory-5623875/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Signifying Contemporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signifying-contemporary-5623876/) ## Related quotes > [“In an equally counterintuitive fashion, affect’s distinctive function of amplifying the awareness and effects of other functions is based on its ability to “simulate”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-an-equally-counterintuitive-fashion-affect-s-distinctive-function/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [There is no character in the comedy of human life more difficult to play well than that of an old bachelor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/there-is-no-character-in-the-comedy-of-human-life-more-difficult-to/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Even the good things don't go to my head and I don't let the bad things affect me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo/even-the-good-things-don-t-go-to-my-head-and-i-don-t-let-the-bad/) [Marcelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo/) > [Sometimes, you feel like, 'Am I going to be upset about this as a black person or as a woman first? Or am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-williams/sometimes-you-feel-like-am-i-going-to-be-upset-about-this-as-a-black/) [Jessica Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-williams/) > [It's sad to see that something you have done or the decisions that you have made affect your children in a negative way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-s-sad-to-see-that-something-you-have-done-or-the-decisions-that/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [We live our whole lives, and in our dying moment, we have to ask ourselves, 'What did we really care about? What impact did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/we-live-our-whole-lives-and-in-our-dying-moment-we-have-to-ask/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [“I look up at the painting. It's not even that interesting. Definitely doesn't grab me and shake my brain around like the meadow scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-bachmann/i-look-up-at-the-painting-it-s-not-even-that-interesting-definitely/) [Stefan Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-bachmann/) > [Geometric shapes hold an energy pattern, and scientists did some experiments which say certain geometric shapes can affect matter around them. It's simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/geometric-shapes-hold-an-energy-pattern-and-scientists-did-some/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [I want to say that our shows are safer-spaces shows. Don't push anyone or affect anyone's space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-want-to-say-that-our-shows-are-safer-spaces-shows-don-t-push-anyone/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [When you're not working, it does affect you. It destroys you if your film doesn't release.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/when-you-re-not-working-it-does-affect-you-it-destroys-you-if-your/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [Everyone has those times when you feel like you don't fit in. Everyone struggles to a certain extent with being cool and popular, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-boldman/everyone-has-those-times-when-you-feel-like-you-don-t-fit-in-everyone/) [Spencer Boldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-boldman/) > [Never let the opinion of another affect your opinion of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/never-let-the-opinion-of-another-affect-your-opinion-of-yourself/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [I almost always mess up. I fall too easily in love. I cry over boys. I'm not the prettiest girl you can find. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-almost-always-mess-up-i-fall-too-easily-in-love-i-cry-over-boys-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) ## More by Sianne Ngai > [“in my afterword, which discusses the ugliest of all ugly feelings: disgust. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-my-afterword-which-discusses-the-ugliest-of-all-ugly-feelings/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“—rather than those of more iconic figures such as Ahab, Othello, or Lear, my focus will be on irritation instead of anger, envy rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/rather-than-those-of-more-iconic-figures-such-as-ahab-othello-or-lear/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“Both are also examples of film noir, a postwar genre commonly understood (even to the point of cliché) as being aesthetically and ideologically driven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/both-are-also-examples-of-film-noir-a-postwar-genre-commonly/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“In other words, a positional parallelism in which sound is foregrounded as an independent feature (Nathanson, WP, 140), comes to override an ideational parallelism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-other-words-a-positional-parallelism-in-which-sound-is/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“Indeed, while it is widely agreed that “emotions play roles in forms of action,”22 the feelings in this study tend to be diagnostic rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/indeed-while-it-is-widely-agreed-that-emotions-play-roles-in-forms-of/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“On one hand, the state of being “animated” implies the most general of all affective conditions (that of being “moved” in one way or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/on-one-hand-the-state-of-being-animated-implies-the-most-general-of/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“In fact, the shot’s cunning re-objectivization suggests just how uncertain this surveillance expert’s grasp of the visual field has perhaps been all along.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-fact-the-shot-s-cunning-re-objectivization-suggests-just-how/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“In fact, I would suggest that what each moment produces is the inherently ambiguous affect of affective disorientation in general—what we might think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-fact-i-would-suggest-that-what-each-moment-produces-is-the/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“As an affective matrix devised as a “psychological explanation” for revolutionary or political impulses, which reduces social antagonisms to deficiencies of individual character or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/as-an-affective-matrix-devised-as-a-psychological-explanation-for/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“these audible demonstrations that whether the feeling is vested in abstract systems or in personal relationships, the world of the novel’s story runs on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/these-audible-demonstrations-that-whether-the-feeling-is-vested-in/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“Indeed, as a system of exchange based on a highly codified feeling that is continually reproduced and circulated even as it cannot be subjectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/indeed-as-a-system-of-exchange-based-on-a-highly-codified-feeling/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“The Conversation to produce another highly determinate feeling—paranoia—that not coincidentally replicates the subjective/objective oscillation in its basic structure: Is the enemy out there or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/the-conversation-to-produce-another-highly-determinate-feeling/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“In both cases, the difficulty lies not in the ontological difference between real emotion and virtual emotion, but rather in their proximity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/in-both-cases-the-difficulty-lies-not-in-the-ontological-difference/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“If Ugly Feelings is a bestiary of affects, in other words, it is one filled with rats and possums rather than lions, its categories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/if-ugly-feelings-is-a-bestiary-of-affects-in-other-words-it-is-one/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) > [“Yet the point of the Black Rapids agent’s story is precisely that an illusory panic can easily generate a “double” that is actually experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/yet-the-point-of-the-black-rapids-agent-s-story-is-precisely-that-an/) [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) [Explore all 56 Sianne Ngai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) ## More Affect quotes > [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) > [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [I almost always mess up. I fall too easily in love. I cry over boys. I'm not the prettiest girl you can find. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-almost-always-mess-up-i-fall-too-easily-in-love-i-cry-over-boys-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never let the opinion of another affect your opinion of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/never-let-the-opinion-of-another-affect-your-opinion-of-yourself/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [Everyone has those times when you feel like you don't fit in. Everyone struggles to a certain extent with being cool and popular, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-boldman/everyone-has-those-times-when-you-feel-like-you-don-t-fit-in-everyone/) [Spencer Boldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-boldman/) > [When you're not working, it does affect you. It destroys you if your film doesn't release.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/when-you-re-not-working-it-does-affect-you-it-destroys-you-if-your/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [I want to say that our shows are safer-spaces shows. Don't push anyone or affect anyone's space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-want-to-say-that-our-shows-are-safer-spaces-shows-don-t-push-anyone/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [Geometric shapes hold an energy pattern, and scientists did some experiments which say certain geometric shapes can affect matter around them. It's simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/geometric-shapes-hold-an-energy-pattern-and-scientists-did-some/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [“I look up at the painting. It's not even that interesting. Definitely doesn't grab me and shake my brain around like the meadow scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-bachmann/i-look-up-at-the-painting-it-s-not-even-that-interesting-definitely/) [Stefan Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-bachmann/) > [We live our whole lives, and in our dying moment, we have to ask ourselves, 'What did we really care about? What impact did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/we-live-our-whole-lives-and-in-our-dying-moment-we-have-to-ask/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [It's sad to see that something you have done or the decisions that you have made affect your children in a negative way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-s-sad-to-see-that-something-you-have-done-or-the-decisions-that/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [Sometimes, you feel like, 'Am I going to be upset about this as a black person or as a woman first? Or am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-williams/sometimes-you-feel-like-am-i-going-to-be-upset-about-this-as-a-black/) [Jessica Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-williams/) > [Even the good things don't go to my head and I don't let the bad things affect me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo/even-the-good-things-don-t-go-to-my-head-and-i-don-t-let-the-bad/) [Marcelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo/) > [My job as a physician is to make sure I have provided my patients with the best options to make the decisions that affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ami-bera/my-job-as-a-physician-is-to-make-sure-i-have-provided-my-patients/) [Ami Bera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ami-bera/) > [Every day, all of us at Gannett are given the rare and sacred opportunity to affect change for the good in the communities we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracia-martore/every-day-all-of-us-at-gannett-are-given-the-rare-and-sacred/) [Gracia Martore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracia-martore/) [Browse all 447 Affect quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affect/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Affect is perhaps the most difficult plane of human life to define and describe, not merely because it is a-signifying (and contemporary theory is so heavily directed toward signifying practices), but also because there is no critical vocabulary to describe its forms and structures.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sianne Ngai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-plane-of-human-life-to-define/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affect" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-plane-of-human-life-to-define/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/sianne-ngai-12114_affect_affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-pla_2333813.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Affect is perhaps the most difficult plane of human life to define and describe, not merely because it is…” — Sianne Ngai", "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": "Sianne Ngai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Affect is perhaps the most difficult...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-plane-of-human-life-to-define/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sianne-ngai/affect-is-perhaps-the-most-difficult-plane-of-human-life-to-define/#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 } } ] } ```