Alternatives Quote by Walker Percy
“Your discovery, as best as I can determine, is that there is an alternative which no one has hit upon. It is that one finding oneself in one of life's critical situations need not after all respond in one of the traditional ways. No. One may simply default. Pass. Do as one pleases, shrug, turn on one's heel and leave. Exit. Why after all need one act humanly?”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Moviegoer by Walker Percy, 1961
In critical moments you can choose to reject expected behavior and simply walk away, questioning the necessity of conventional humanity.
In simple terms: You can choose to not act in the usual way when faced with a crisis.
Key Takeaway
Consider when to disengage rather than conform.
Themes
choice
individualism
existentialism
Mood
reflective
questioning
Type
philosophical
existential
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- workplace conflict
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
free will
social norms
authenticity
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you defaulted to walking away?
- What are the costs of not acting 'humanly'?
A Different Perspective
Choosing to exit may lead to missed responsibilities or social fallout.
![“[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)
![“[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative.” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/324/margaret-thatcher-463_alternatives_when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-pr_15081.jpg)
