--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's ultimately inhuman to only…" description: "\"I think it's ultimately inhuman to only see things for their functionality. We want things to be more than that. The desire for beauty is something tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/stefan-sagmeister-13596_beauty_i-think-it-s-ultimately-inhuman-to-only_3209288.jpg" --- # I think it's ultimately inhuman to only see things for… ![“I think it's ultimately inhuman to only see things for their functionality. We want things to be more than that. The desire for beauty is something that's in us, and it's not trivial.” quote by Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/stefan-sagmeister-13596_beauty_i-think-it-s-ultimately-inhuman-to-only_3209288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/stefan-sagmeister-13596_beauty_i-think-it-s-ultimately-inhuman-to-only_3209288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/stefan-sagmeister-13596_beauty_i-think-it-s-ultimately-inhuman-to-only_3209288.jpg) > “I think it's ultimately inhuman to only see things for their functionality. We want things to be more than that. The desire for beauty is something that's in us, and it's not trivial.” [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing only function neglects humanity; beauty fulfills innate desire for meaning beyond utility. **In simple terms:** Function alone is insufficient; we crave beauty. Key Takeaway Embrace aesthetics alongside utility. Themes design humanity beauty meaning Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - product design - architecture - visual arts - branding - user experience Key Concepts aesthetic theory human-centered design psychology of beauty Questions to Reflect On - How does beauty influence your daily choices? - Can functionality and beauty coexist without compromise? A Different Perspective Aesthetic appeal may conflict with cost or practicality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Standing in the heat and noise, facing the rows of bent heads, Ethan Figman willed himself to leave that long sleep in which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/standing-in-the-heat-and-noise-facing-the-rows-of-bent-heads-ethan/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [The desire for beauty, the hunger for union, the passion to be part of something greater than self, all arise out of our bent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-b-allender/the-desire-for-beauty-the-hunger-for-union-the-passion-to-be-part-of/) [Dan B. Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-b-allender/) > [“Beauty loves contradiction. Beauty is born of desire. And without beauty, there is nothing. Beauty is our keeper, our master, our reason. Beauty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lloyd-qualls/beauty-loves-contradiction-beauty-is-born-of-desire-and-without/) [Thomas Lloyd Qualls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lloyd-qualls/) > [“Our desire for beauty is likely to outlast its object because, as Kant once observed, unlike all other pleasures, the pleasure we take in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-scarry/our-desire-for-beauty-is-likely-to-outlast-its-object-because-as-kant/) [Elaine Scarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-scarry/) > [“Desire for beauty will endure and undermine the desire for truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/desire-for-beauty-will-endure-and-undermine-the-desire-for-truth/) [Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/) > [The Christian will desire to see the beauty of God in his house, that his soul might be ravished in the excellency of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/the-christian-will-desire-to-see-the-beauty-of-god-in-his-house-that/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [“The world thus exists to the soul to satisfy the desire of beauty. This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-world-thus-exists-to-the-soul-to-satisfy-the-desire-of-beauty-this/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [We are disgusted by the things that we desire, and we desire what disgusts us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/we-are-disgusted-by-the-things-that-we-desire-and-we-desire-what/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [He who has few things to desire cannot have many to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/he-who-has-few-things-to-desire-cannot-have-many-to-fear/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Lay not on any soul a load that you would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/lay-not-on-any-soul-a-load-that-you-would-not-wish-to-be-laid-upon/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [We should desire very few things passionately if we did but perfectly know the nature of the things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-should-desire-very-few-things-passionately-if-we-did-but-perfectly/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is better to desire the things we have than to have the things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/it-is-better-to-desire-the-things-we-have-than-to-have-the-things-we/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Things unhoped for happen oftener than things we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/things-unhoped-for-happen-oftener-than-things-we-desire/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [“He knew that those things we most desire to hold in our hearts are often taken from us while that which we would put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-knew-that-those-things-we-most-desire-to-hold-in-our-hearts-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To understand the limitation of things, desire them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-understand-the-limitation-of-things-desire-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Stefan Sagmeister > [Keeping a diary supports personal development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/keeping-a-diary-supports-personal-development/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [People who actually tell stories, meaning people who write novels and make feature films, don't see themselves as storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/people-who-actually-tell-stories-meaning-people-who-write-novels-and/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [Some people said, 'Oh you're going to become a fine artist now and do exhibits and stuff.' But I have no desire to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/some-people-said-oh-you-re-going-to-become-a-fine-artist-now-and-do/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [My diary entries allow me to keep track of all the things I would like to change about my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/my-diary-entries-allow-me-to-keep-track-of-all-the-things-i-would/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [I can see my work as a job. I do it for money. I likely already look forward to the weekend on Thursdays. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/i-can-see-my-work-as-a-job-i-do-it-for-money-i-likely-already-look/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [By far, the most determining factor of any brand is the product or the service the company produces. Branding companies have very rarely any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/by-far-the-most-determining-factor-of-any-brand-is-the-product-or-the/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [There are brands out there in the world that have an incredible influence on the culture. Numerous ones are badly done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/there-are-brands-out-there-in-the-world-that-have-an-incredible/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [Whenever I do overcome my inherent fear, it turns out well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/whenever-i-do-overcome-my-inherent-fear-it-turns-out-well/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [I didn't think that personal style had much value in graphic design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/i-didn-t-think-that-personal-style-had-much-value-in-graphic-design/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [I'm actually quite critical of the storytelling theme. I think all the storytellers are not storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/i-m-actually-quite-critical-of-the-storytelling-theme-i-think-all-the/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/complaining-is-silly-either-act-or-forget/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [If you want to communicate something, youd better make sure that your design piece is well-dressed and that its teeth are fixed. At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/if-you-want-to-communicate-something-youd-better-make-sure-that-your/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [Peter Noever is a pain in the ass and a joy in the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/peter-noever-is-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-a-joy-in-the-heart/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [You're authentic when you're honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/you-re-authentic-when-you-re-honest/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [You could say that bad typography brought us the Afghanistan war, the Iraq war, the housing crisis and a good number of other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/you-could-say-that-bad-typography-brought-us-the-afghanistan-war-the/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) [Explore all 50 Stefan Sagmeister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/) [Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) Tumblr > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's ultimately inhuman to only see things for their functionality. We want things to be more than that. 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