Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons.
Robertson DaviesRead
I was not sure I wanted to issue orders to life; I rather liked the Greek notion of allowing Chance to take a formative hand in my affairs.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a preference for accepting life's uncertainties rather than trying to control every outcome.
Robertson Davies expresses a philosophical stance that values Chance and the unpredictability of life over an authoritarian approach to decision-making. He suggests that allowing serendipity and unforeseen events to shape one's experiences can lead to a more enriching and fulfilling life. This view contrasts with a more deterministic perspective where individuals seek to control every aspect of their journey.
Themes
ChanceLifeFateControlUncertaintyPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used during a lecture on existential philosophy to illustrate the role of free will versus fate.
More from Robertson Davies
All quotes βPessimism is a very easy way out because it is a short view of life. If you look at what is happening around us today, you can't help but feel that life is a terrible complexity of problems. But if you look back a few thousand years, you realize that we have advanced fantastically. If you take a long view, I do not see how you can be pessimistic about the future of mankind.
Robertson DaviesRead
This is one of the cruelties of the theatre of life; we all think of ourselves as stars and rarely recognize it when we are indeed mere supporting characters or even supernumeraries.
Robertson DaviesRead
Everything matters. The Universe is approximately fifteen billion years old, and I swear that in all that time, nothing has ever happened that has not mattered, has not contributed in some way to the totality.
Robertson DaviesRead
The egotist is all surface; underneath is a pulpy mess and a lot of self-doubt. But the egoist may be yielding and even deferential in things he doesn't consider important; in anything that touches his core he is remorseless.
Robertson DaviesRead
The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealized past.
Robertson DaviesRead
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