We're our own dragons as well as our own heroes, and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves.
Tom RobbinsRead
Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have known all along that it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote humorously contrasts philosophical debates with a materialist's focus on practical considerations.
Tom Robbins uses this quotable line to illustrate the distinction between abstract reasoning and down-to-earth realities. He suggests that while philosophers can ponder whimsical, intricate questions about existence, the materialists base their understanding on tangible factors, in this case, the style of dance which affects how many angels can dance on a pin. This reflects a broader critique of philosophical debates that lack practical implications.
Themes
PhilosophyMaterialismDanceDebateExistence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the relevance of philosophy in practical life.
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The Divine was beyond description, beyond knowing, beyond comprehension. To say that the Divine was Creation divided by Destruction was as close as one could come to definition. But the puny of soul, the dull of wit, weren't content with that. They wanted to hang a face on the Divine. They went so far as to attribute petty human emotions - anger, jealousy, etc - to it, not stopping to realize that if God were a being, even a supreme being, our prayers would have bored him to death long ago.
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On their sofas of spice and feathers, the concubines also slept fretfully. In those days the Earth was still flat, and people dreamed often of falling over edges.
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