It takes a wonderful brain and exquisite senses to produce a few stupid ideas.
George SantayanaRead
The irrational in the human has something about it altogether repulsive and terrible, as we see in the maniac, the miser, the drunkard or the ape.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human irrationality can lead to repulsive and frightening behaviors.
This quote by George Santayana reflects on the darker aspects of human nature, highlighting that irrationality can manifest in ways that are disturbing and grotesque, as illustrated by examples such as addiction and madness. It suggests that when individuals act without reason or control, they can exhibit behaviors that are not only troubling but also evoke fear or disgust in others.
Themes
IrrationalityHuman NatureRepulsionBehaviorMadness
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about mental health, one could reference this quote to illustrate the consequences of irrational behavior.
More from George Santayana
All quotes βThe working of great institutions is mainly the result of a vast mass of routine, petty malice, self interest, carelessness and sheer mistake. Only a residual fraction is thought.
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There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval. The dark background which death supplies brings out the tender colours of life in all their purity.
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Not to believe in love is a great sign of dullness. There are some people so indirect and lumbering that they think all real affection rests on circumstantial evidence.
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To feel beauty is a better thing than to understand how we come to feel it. To have imagination and taste, to love the best, to be carried by the contemplation of nature to a vivid faith in the ideal, all this is more, a great deal more, than any science can hope to be.
George SantayanaRead
The vital straining towards an ideal, definite but latent, when it dominates a whole life, may express that ideal more fully than could the best chosen words.
George SantayanaRead
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