Don't just live the length of your life - live the width of it as well.
Diane AckermanRead
When all is said and done, we exist only in relation to the world, and our senses evolved as scouts who bridge that divide and provide volumes of information, warnings and rewards.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our existence is defined by our relationship with the world, and our senses help us navigate it.
Diane Ackerman’s quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of human existence and the external world. It suggests that our senses, which have evolved over time, serve as essential tools that allow us to perceive and interpret our environment, signaling both dangers and delights. This relationship is fundamental to our understanding and experience of life, as it shapes our interactions and informs our responses to the world around us.
Themes
ExistenceSensesRelationshipInformationNavigation
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about human perception at a philosophy seminar.
More from Diane Ackerman
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Because IQ tests favor memory skills and logic, overlooking artistic creativity, insight, resiliency, emotional reserves, sensory gifts, and life experience, they can't really predict success, let alone satisfaction.
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In rare moments of deep play, we can lay aside our sense of self, shed time's continuum, ignore pain, and sit quietly in the absolute present, watching the world's ordinary miracles. No mind or heart hobbles. No analyzing or explaining. No questing for logic. No promises. No goals. No relationships. No worry. One is completely open to whatever drama may unfold.
Diane AckermanRead
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