--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: that alertness for measuring and weighing…" description: "\"“that alertness for measuring and weighing event against eventuality, circumstance against human nature, his own fallible judgement and mortal clay aga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png" --- # that alertness for measuring and weighing event against… ![“that alertness for measuring and weighing event against eventuality, circumstance against human nature, his own fallible judgement and mortal clay against not only human but natural forces, choosing and discarding, compromising with his dream and his ambition like you must with the horse which you…” quote by William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png) > ““that alertness for measuring and weighing event against eventuality, circumstance against human nature, his own fallible judgement and mortal clay against not only human but natural forces, choosing and discarding, compromising with his dream and his ambition like you must with the horse which you take across country, over timber, which you control only through your ability to keep the animal from realizing that actually you cannot, that actually it is the stronger.”” [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on human effort to measure and control destiny, balancing ambition with the limits of nature and self. **In simple terms:** We try to control fate but are limited by nature and our own flaws. Key Takeaway Recognize limits and adapt ambitions responsibly. Themes ambition control human limits nature self-awareness Mood reflective serious Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal decision making - leadership - creative projects - adventure planning Key Concepts existentialism determinism human frailty Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance ambition with realistic constraints? - What forces in your life are stronger than you realize? A Different Perspective Balancing ambition with reality can stifle innovation if overly cautious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Circumstance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstance/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [“-that unsleeping care which must have known that it could permit itself but one mistake; that alertness for measuring and weighing event against eventuality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/that-unsleeping-care-which-must-have-known-that-it-could-permit/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“When you learn to let go of the details you can’t control, the amount of time and energy you’ll be able to devote to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/when-you-learn-to-let-go-of-the-details-you-can-t-control-the-amount/) [Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/) > [“Gentleness is strength under control. It is the ability to stay calm, no matter what happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/gentleness-is-strength-under-control-it-is-the-ability-to-stay-calm/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [Its not true that situations control us, we have the ability to respond in ways that will worsen or improve our situation. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/its-not-true-that-situations-control-us-we-have-the-ability-to/) Senoraroy > [You never cede control of your own ability to be successful to something called racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-never-cede-control-of-your-own-ability-to-be-successful-to/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [“Get control of your thoughts, and you will control your ability to create. Start acting with Right Action, and you will have everything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everte-farnell/get-control-of-your-thoughts-and-you-will-control-your-ability-to/) Everte Farnell > [“Why is the human need to be in control relevant to a discussion of random patterns? Because if events are random, we are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/why-is-the-human-need-to-be-in-control-relevant-to-a-discussion-of/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [His control, the ability to change the tempo of a game, his eye for a pass - Zidane had it all. He created space,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/his-control-the-ability-to-change-the-tempo-of-a-game-his-eye-for-a/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [You can’t control what other people think about your art. Think about the part of yourself that you can control, which is your ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/you-can-t-control-what-other-people-think-about-your-art-think-about/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [Self-control is the ability to restrain a laugh at the wrong place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/self-control-is-the-ability-to-restrain-a-laugh-at-the-wrong-place/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [I need to have a great deal of control and the ability to share my control with my collaborators and grant them the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luca-guadagnino/i-need-to-have-a-great-deal-of-control-and-the-ability-to-share-my/) [Luca Guadagnino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luca-guadagnino/) > [What does it mean to feel "in control" of your life? What I mean by control is the ability to make a choice. Personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-young-eisendrath/what-does-it-mean-to-feel-in-control-of-your-life-what-i-mean-by/) Polly Young-Eisendrath > [Self Control; The ability to prevent myself from beating the sh\*t out of someone who desperately needs it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pretty-ladii/self-control-the-ability-to-prevent-myself-from-beating-the-sh-t-out/) [Pretty Ladii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pretty-ladii/) > [There is always one option that is completely within your control: the ability to work harder than anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-always-one-option-that-is-completely-within-your-control-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Thought control is the ability to direct mind and attention anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/thought-control-is-the-ability-to-direct-mind-and-attention-anywhere/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by William Faulkner > [“The river itself is not a hundred yards across, and pa and Vernon and Vardaman and Dewey Dell are the only things in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-river-itself-is-not-a-hundred-yards-across-and-pa-and-vernon-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-quality-an-artist-must-have-is-objectivity-in-judging-his-work/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Luster returned, wearing a stiff new straw hat with a colored band and carrying a cloth cap. The hat seemed to isolate Luster's skull,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/luster-returned-wearing-a-stiff-new-straw-hat-with-a-colored-band-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [It is easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-man-is-immortal-simply-because-he-will/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-ve-got-to-feel-the-pencil-and-see-the-words-at-the-end-of-the-pencil/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [And sure enough, even waiting will end...if you can just wait long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/and-sure-enough-even-waiting-will-end-if-you-can-just-wait-long-enough/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-believe-that-man-will-not-merely-endure-he-will-prevail-he-is/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/never-be-afraid-to-raise-your-voice-for-honesty-and-truth-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/to-understand-the-world-you-must-first-understand-a-place-like/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“What modren ideas?” pap said. “I didn’t know there was but one idea about work—until it is done, it ain’t done, and when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-modren-ideas-pap-said-i-didn-t-know-there-was-but-one-idea-about/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“It was only as he put his hand on the door that he became aware of complete silence beyond it, a silence which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-was-only-as-he-put-his-hand-on-the-door-that-he-became-aware-of/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“She has no mother because fatherblood hates with love and pride, but motherblood with hate loves and cohabits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/she-has-no-mother-because-fatherblood-hates-with-love-and-pride-but/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Byron listened quietly, thinking to himself how people everywhere are about the same, but that it did seem that in a small town, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/byron-listened-quietly-thinking-to-himself-how-people-everywhere-are/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“It was too late. Maybe yesterday, while I was still a child, but not now. I knew too much, had seen too much, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-was-too-late-maybe-yesterday-while-i-was-still-a-child-but-not-now/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) [Explore all 673 William Faulkner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More Alertness quotes > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Jesus Christ does not teach us a spirituality “of closed eyes”, but one of “alertness”, one which entails an absolute duty to take notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-christ-does-not-teach-us-a-spirituality-of-closed-eyes-but-one/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Sailing a boat calls for quick action, a blending of feeling with the wind and water as well as with the very heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/sailing-a-boat-calls-for-quick-action-a-blending-of-feeling-with-the/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [Shoulda, coulda, and woulda won't get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/shoulda-coulda-and-woulda-won-t-get-it-done/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [The same is the case when you enter a womb, enter into a fresh body, and start the journey of desires. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-same-is-the-case-when-you-enter-a-womb-enter-into-a-fresh-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Quick naps improve your senses, alertness, decision making, and creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/quick-naps-improve-your-senses-alertness-decision-making-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe that every person, male and female, needs to be in a protective mode at all times of alertness to potential danger. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-believe-that-every-person-male-and-female-needs-to-be-in-a/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Forgiveness feels most dramatic when some ancient pattern of self-punishment collapses in a torrent of tears. But it is just as effective when practiced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-patrick-miller/forgiveness-feels-most-dramatic-when-some-ancient-pattern-of-self/) [D. Patrick Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-patrick-miller/) > [Alertness is the hidden discipline of familiarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/alertness-is-the-hidden-discipline-of-familiarity/) [David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/) > [When you take your attention into the present moment, a certain alertness arises. You become more conscious of what's around you, but also, strangely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-take-your-attention-into-the-present-moment-a-certain/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“•To become more expert at anything, the community needs to encourage and support the brain/ mind principle of relaxed alertness. Fear can hinder the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-a-flores/to-become-more-expert-at-anything-the-community-needs-to-encourage/) Kelly a Flores > [To be aware of little, quiet things, you need to be quiet inside. A high degree of alertness is required. Be still. Look. Listen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-be-aware-of-little-quiet-things-you-need-to-be-quiet-inside-a-high/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [What we must remember, however, is that preservation of liberties does not depend on motives. A suppression of liberty has the same effect whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/what-we-must-remember-however-is-that-preservation-of-liberties-does/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The practice of 'asanas' and 'pranayama' wards off disease and helps to maintain alertness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/the-practice-of-asanas-and-pranayama-wards-off-disease-and-helps-to/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [“Poor motivation and alertness cause complacency”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-vs-parani/poor-motivation-and-alertness-cause-complacency/) Captain VS Parani Browse all 82 Alertness quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“that alertness for measuring and weighing event against eventuality, circumstance against human nature, his own fallible judgement and mortal clay against not only human but natural forces, choosing and discarding, compromising with his dream and his ambition like you must with the horse which you take across country, over timber, which you control only through your ability to keep the animal from realizing that actually you cannot, that actually it is the stronger.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Faulkner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighing-event-against-eventuality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alertness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighing-event-against-eventuality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/william-faulkner-306_alertness_that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighin_487050.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“that alertness for measuring and weighing event against eventuality, circumstance against human nature, his…” — William Faulkner", "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": "William Faulkner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“that alertness for measuring and weighing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighing-event-against-eventuality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/that-alertness-for-measuring-and-weighing-event-against-eventuality/#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 } } ] } ```