Life Quote by Walker Percy
““Unlike him I had been unable to escape into the simple complexities of science. All he had to do was solve the mystery of the universe, which may be difficult but is not as difficult as living an ordinary life...(How happy scientists are! Why didn't we become scientists, Percival? They confront problems which can be solved. We don't know what we confront. Does it have a name?)””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Moviegoer, 1961
The speaker contrasts the perceived simplicity of scientific problems with the messy, unpredictable challenges of everyday life, suggesting that ordinary existence can feel more daunting than abstract mysteries.
In simple terms: Science seems simpler than daily life.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the complexity of ordinary living.
Themes
existential
science
daily life
perception
challenge
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
curious
Type
literary
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career decisions
- personal relationships
- mental health
- everyday problem solving
Key Concepts
philosophy
human condition
problem solving
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you simplify everyday problems?
- What can we learn from scientific thinking in daily life?
A Different Perspective
Science also faces uncertainty and ethical dilemmas, so its simplicity is illusory.
![“[In art] you are telling the reader or the listener or the viewer something he already knows but which he doesn't quite know that he knows, so that in the action of communication he experiences a recognition, a feeling that he has been there before, a shock of recognition.” quote by Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3f1/walker-percy-1958_action_in-art-you-are-telling-the-reader-or-the_116938.jpg)
