No machines will ever truly fully figure the brain out, because the brain's performance is constantly altered or else constrained by this inanimate, rogue artifact you can't control, namely, speech.
Tom WolfeRead
There has been a time on earth when poets had been young and dead and famous - and were men. But now the poet as the tragic child of grandeur and destiny had changed. The child of genius was a woman, now, and the man was gone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the changing role of poets and the artistic expression from men to women, highlighting a shift in cultural values.
Tom Wolfe's quote encapsulates a historical shift in the perception and role of poets in society. It acknowledges a time when male poets were celebrated figures, deeply influential and revered. However, he suggests that the essence of poetry and the ideals of genius have transformed, with women now embodying the artistic spirit that was once dominated by men, signaling a broader change in cultural and poetic values throughout history.
Themes
PoetryGenderArtistic ExpressionCultural ChangeCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the evolution of literature at a book club meeting.
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I have discovered that for me - now, maybe it doesn't work for everybody - for me, it is much more effective to arrive at any situation as a man from Mars than to try to fit in.
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To me, the great joy of writing is discovering. Most writers are told to write about what they know, but I still love the adventure of going out and reporting on things I don't know about.
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