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About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker claims art is beautiful due to its lack of utility, while life is ugly because it is driven by goals and purposes.
In plain terms
Art is beautiful because it serves no purpose, but life is ugly because it is all about goals.
What can you take from it?
Uselessness can be more beautiful than purposeful utility.

Where it applies

  • art criticism
  • philosophical debate
  • creative work

Putting it to work

  • valuing leisure
  • creating without agenda
  • appreciating art

Questions to consider

  • Is purpose a burden?
  • Can something be beautiful because it is useless?

Another view

Life also contains beauty beyond goals and intentions.

More from Fernando Pessoa

  1. Knowing not to have illusions is absolutely necessary in order to have dreams.

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  2. And the supreme glory of all this, my love, is to think that maybe this isn't true, neither may I believe it true. // And when lying starts giving us pleasure,…

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  3. Every gesture is a revolutionary act.

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