Simplicity is not a goal, but one arrives at simplicity in spite of oneself, as one approaches the real meaning of things.
Herbert ReadRead
It was play rather than work which enabled man to evolve his higher faculties - everything we mean by the word 'culture'.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Culture is developed through play, not merely through work.
Herbert Read emphasizes that the development of human creativity, intellect, and culture arises from play and leisure activities, rather than the toil of labor. He suggests that it is through playful exploration and experimentation that individuals cultivate their higher faculties, shaping the essence of what defines culture itself.
Themes
PlayCultureCreativityEducationEvolution
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of arts in education, this quote can highlight the role of play in fostering creativity.
More from Herbert Read
All quotes βThat is why I believe that art is so much more significant than either economics or philosophy. It is the direct measure of man's spiritual vision.
Herbert ReadRead
The worth of a civilization or a culture is not valued in the terms of its material wealth or military power, but by the quality and achievements of its representative individuals - its philosophers, its poets and its artists.
Herbert ReadRead
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