--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Isn’t this enough? Just this world? Just…" description: "\"Isn’t this enough? Just this world? Just this beautiful, complex wonderfully unfathomable world? How does it so fail to hold our attention that we have..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/tim-minchin-3287_attention_isn-t-this-enough-just-this-world-just-t_2319699.png" --- # Isn’t this enough? Just this world? Just this beautiful… ![“Isn’t this enough? Just this world? Just this beautiful, complex wonderfully unfathomable world? How does it so fail to hold our attention that we have to diminish it with the invention of cheap, man-made myths and monsters?” quote by Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/tim-minchin-3287_attention_isn-t-this-enough-just-this-world-just-t_2319699.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/tim-minchin-3287_attention_isn-t-this-enough-just-this-world-just-t_2319699.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/tim-minchin-3287_attention_isn-t-this-enough-just-this-world-just-t_2319699.png) > “Isn’t this enough? Just this world? Just this beautiful, complex wonderfully unfathomable world? How does it so fail to hold our attention that we have to diminish it with the invention of cheap, man-made myths and monsters?” [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The world’s beauty overwhelms, yet we create cheap myths to distract from its complexity. **In simple terms:** We make simple myths to avoid confronting a wondrous world. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity instead of simplifying. Themes philosophy distraction mythmaking Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - education - media consumption - art appreciation - critical thinking Key Concepts existential wonder cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What drives the need for simplistic narratives? - How can we celebrate complexity responsibly? A Different Perspective Myths can also serve meaningful cultural functions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Man Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-myths-2965127/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths/) [Myths Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths-monsters-779937/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [Unfathomable World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfathomable-world-5540815/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I stick closely to the structure of the myths. I may have some fun with the mythology by changing the environment to modern-day, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-stick-closely-to-the-structure-of-the-myths-i-may-have-some-fun/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [If the equality of individuals and the dignity of man be myths, they are myths to which the republic is committed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-mumford-jones/if-the-equality-of-individuals-and-the-dignity-of-man-be-myths-they/) [Howard Mumford Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-mumford-jones/) > [It's not about superheroes. This is the method of universal storytelling that all people have... To me, they're the same as the Greek myths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-jenkins/it-s-not-about-superheroes-this-is-the-method-of-universal/) [Patty Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-jenkins/) > [“For hero-worship often defeats its own ends; the boy who "cannot tell a lie," the boy who kept his finger in the hole in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-ma-guerrero/for-hero-worship-often-defeats-its-own-ends-the-boy-who-cannot-tell-a/) [Leon Ma. Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-ma-guerrero/) > [Now I'm a Catholic agnostic by the way. Yet those myths still live within me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/now-i-m-a-catholic-agnostic-by-the-way-yet-those-myths-still-live/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [We overhype everything. We create monumental myths. There are people who still believe that Brandi Chastain and the U.S. women's World Cup team pulled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/we-overhype-everything-we-create-monumental-myths-there-are-people/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [They do not depend upon mere legends and myths. They are not predicated on the false conception that the Emperor is divine and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-do-not-depend-upon-mere-legends-and-myths-they-are-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All my stories are like the Greek and Roman myths, and the Egyptian myths, and the Old and New Testament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/all-my-stories-are-like-the-greek-and-roman-myths-and-the-egyptian/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Like Achilles, the hero who forgot his heel, or like Icarus who, flying close to the sun, forgot that his wings were made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-longenecker/like-achilles-the-hero-who-forgot-his-heel-or-like-icarus-who-flying/) [Dwight Longenecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-longenecker/) > [Other people's beliefs may be myths, but not mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/other-people-s-beliefs-may-be-myths-but-not-mine/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [When we lose our myths we lose our place in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/when-we-lose-our-myths-we-lose-our-place-in-the-universe/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“Anachron’s Law: There is no myth which is so irrational that no one will believe it. Anachron’s Corollary: There is no truth which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hammond/anachron-s-law-there-is-no-myth-which-is-so-irrational-that-no-one/) [George Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hammond/) > [Songs are like myths. Myths are useful because they allow you to cast yourself and your life and your own experience. And for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/songs-are-like-myths-myths-are-useful-because-they-allow-you-to-cast/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [“Many people do simply awful things out of sincere religious belief, not using religion as a cover the way that Saddam Hussein may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/many-people-do-simply-awful-things-out-of-sincere-religious-belief/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) ## More by Tim Minchin > [Because I'm on my own on stage and wear bare feet and look like a pixie, people always think I'm little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/because-i-m-on-my-own-on-stage-and-wear-bare-feet-and-look-like-a/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [Fight for what is true. What is true is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/fight-for-what-is-true-what-is-true-is-enough/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [Love without evidence is stalking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/love-without-evidence-is-stalking/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I spent thousands of thousands of hours playing the piano, and by thousands of hours, I mean playing in cover bands or wedding bands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-spent-thousands-of-thousands-of-hours-playing-the-piano-and-by/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [There's a lot of great, talented, passionate musical theatre practitioners and directors here. But it's very hard to suddenly start building great musicals in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/there-s-a-lot-of-great-talented-passionate-musical-theatre/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [You've got to teach yourself you can do your job no matter what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/you-ve-got-to-teach-yourself-you-can-do-your-job-no-matter-what/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I never thought I was going to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-never-thought-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [Acting's just always been one of those things I've enjoyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/acting-s-just-always-been-one-of-those-things-i-ve-enjoyed/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I had terrible ear problems and asthma and allergies. I spent quite a bit of time in hospital up to the age of eight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-had-terrible-ear-problems-and-asthma-and-allergies-i-spent-quite-a/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [Throughout history, every mystery ever solved has turned out to be NOT magic..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/throughout-history-every-mystery-ever-solved-has-turned-out-to-be-not/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [It's an incredibly exciting thing, this one meaningless life of yours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/it-s-an-incredibly-exciting-thing-this-one-meaningless-life-of-yours/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I want to be here for my family. I want to make stuff in Australia. I want to take what I've learned and contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-want-to-be-here-for-my-family-i-want-to-make-stuff-in-australia-i/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I'm the son of a surgeon and the grandson of a surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-m-the-son-of-a-surgeon-and-the-grandson-of-a-surgeon/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I don't like courting controversy because I don't like people not liking me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-don-t-like-courting-controversy-because-i-don-t-like-people-not/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I've spent years on stage adjusting the timing of a line to infinitesimal degrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-ve-spent-years-on-stage-adjusting-the-timing-of-a-line-to/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) [Explore all 134 Tim Minchin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Isn’t this enough? 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