--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the center can be a harmful place for…" description: "\"But the center can be a harmful place for one who has lived so long on the edge… Normality is the Great Neurosis of civilization.\" — Tom Robbins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg" --- # But the center can be a harmful place for one who has… ![“But the center can be a harmful place for one who has lived so long on the edge… Normality is the Great Neurosis of civilization.” quote by Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg) > “But the center can be a harmful place for one who has lived so long on the edge… Normality is the Great Neurosis of civilization.” [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The center, representing mainstream society, can be oppressive for those accustomed to marginal positions; normality acts as a subtle societal neurosis. **In simple terms:** Conformity can be harmful. Key Takeaway Question the comfort of the status quo. Themes conformity alienation psychology Mood critical contemplative Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace culture - social movements - personal growth - creative expression Key Concepts social norms neurosis marginalization Questions to Reflect On - What does “the edge” mean for you? - How can we create healthier norms? A Different Perspective It may romanticize marginalization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/center/) [Center Harmful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/center-harmful-2361423/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edges/) [Great Neurosis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-neurosis-489739/) [Harmful Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmful-place-2361424/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Neurosis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurosis/) [Neurosis Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurosis-civilization-489737/) [Neurotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurotic/) [Normality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normality/) ## Related quotes > [Normality is the Great Neurosis of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/normality-is-the-great-neurosis-of-civilization/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I am looking for the novelists whose writing is an extension of their intellect rather than an extension of their neurosis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-am-looking-for-the-novelists-whose-writing-is-an-extension-of-their/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The default digital world tone is one of hyperactive friendliness, artificial empathy, emoji-based validation, dopamine-rich feedback loops, toxic positivity, and veiled cruelty. 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If normality were normal, everybody could leave it alone. They could sit back and let normality manifest itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/normality-wasn-t-normal-it-couldn-t-be-if-normality-were-normal/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I find it difficult enough as it is to keep some kind of normality in my life. I enjoy this experience, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-find-it-difficult-enough-as-it-is-to-keep-some-kind-of-normality-in/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [“It's the shock of the thing, is what I'm saying, and my new and somewhat untested theory is that when something is shocking it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystelle-bamford/it-s-the-shock-of-the-thing-is-what-i-m-saying-and-my-new-and/) [Krystelle Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystelle-bamford/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) ## More by Tom Robbins > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. 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Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [What we prefer to do is operate our investment bank in a way that is like what investment banks used to be, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-stephens/what-we-prefer-to-do-is-operate-our-investment-bank-in-a-way-that-is/) [Warren Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-stephens/) > [Thoughts will lead you in circles. Silence will bring you back to your center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thoughts-will-lead-you-in-circles-silence-will-bring-you-back-to-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was married to a law student, and I used to attend classes with him at Georgetown University Law Center. Being of dramatic bent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luanne-rice/i-was-married-to-a-law-student-and-i-used-to-attend-classes-with-him/) [Luanne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luanne-rice/) > [I was a black center in the middle of all the nature. I was nothing, but I could do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-was-a-black-center-in-the-middle-of-all-the-nature-i-was-nothing/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [The center of all my enjoyments is the home wherein are my wife and children, and I have no wish to wander out from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/the-center-of-all-my-enjoyments-is-the-home-wherein-are-my-wife-and/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [“My beliefs are the center of my being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/my-beliefs-are-the-center-of-my-being/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I played on a line with Theo Fleury and German Titov, and I was actually center on their line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarome-iginla/i-played-on-a-line-with-theo-fleury-and-german-titov-and-i-was/) [Jarome Iginla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarome-iginla/) > [The most important thing about Jazz at Lincoln Center is the fact that it's the first time that perhaps the most important art form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-vinoly/the-most-important-thing-about-jazz-at-lincoln-center-is-the-fact/) [Rafael Vinoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-vinoly/) > [I went to a Bulls game when it was still in Chicago Stadium before they built the United Center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/i-went-to-a-bulls-game-when-it-was-still-in-chicago-stadium-before/) [Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/) > [“Just remain in the center; watching. And then forget that you are there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/just-remain-in-the-center-watching-and-then-forget-that-you-are-there/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“if I wanted to be the center of the universe I’d have a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/if-i-wanted-to-be-the-center-of-the-universe-i-d-have-a-dog/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Lou Tyrrell has created a theatre that is a safe haven for playwrights, a birthing center for new American writing. Arts Garage has created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-horovitz/lou-tyrrell-has-created-a-theatre-that-is-a-safe-haven-for/) [Israel Horovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-horovitz/) [Browse all 631 Center quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/center/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But the center can be a harmful place for one who has lived so long on the edge… Normality is the Great Neurosis of civilization.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Robbins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-for-one-who-has-lived-so-long/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Center" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-for-one-who-has-lived-so-long/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/tom-robbins-169_civilization_but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-fo_1842395.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But the center can be a harmful place for one who has lived so long on the edge… Normality is the Great…” — Tom Robbins", "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": "Tom Robbins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But the center can be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-for-one-who-has-lived-so-long/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/but-the-center-can-be-a-harmful-place-for-one-who-has-lived-so-long/#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 } } ] } ```