“Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance.”
Such a powerful line, and a clever one, too. I haven't read the book yet, but that line in the film (which is terrific too - highly recommended) really rang out for me.
It’s no coincidence that psychologists have shown that a human’s creativity closely correlates with that human’s capacity and willingness to tolerate uncertainty: that kind of being which Keats called “negative capability” and poet Philip Gross calls the “not-knowing”.
Which, of course, is why artists, musicians and writers are regarded with such suspicion by those whose power depends on people grabbing for certainty at all costs.
All I know is that I know nothing at all
A former mentor of mine used to say that awareness of the unknown is more important than what we think we know. Thank you for this.
what a blessed mentor. thank you for your comment, jennifer
“Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance.”
Such a powerful line, and a clever one, too. I haven't read the book yet, but that line in the film (which is terrific too - highly recommended) really rang out for me.
It’s no coincidence that psychologists have shown that a human’s creativity closely correlates with that human’s capacity and willingness to tolerate uncertainty: that kind of being which Keats called “negative capability” and poet Philip Gross calls the “not-knowing”.
Which, of course, is why artists, musicians and writers are regarded with such suspicion by those whose power depends on people grabbing for certainty at all costs.
Thanks for a great post, Junot!