The reason why all of us naturally began to live in France is because France has scientific methods, machines and electricity, but does not really believe that these things have anything to do with the real business of living. (New York: Liveright, 1970, p. 8)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Stein observes that France adopted technology for convenience while maintaining traditional values about living.
- In plain terms
- France uses modern tech but keeps old ideas about what matters.
- What can you take from it?
- Technology doesn't necessarily change core values.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does technology change how we live or just what we use?
- Where do you see tech conflicting with tradition?
Another view
This view may ignore how tech subtly shifts daily life.
More from Gertrude Stein
The family is always the family but during vacations it is an extended family and that is exhausting. (New York: Liveright, 1970, p. 107)
Permalink to quote #97 There is no pulse so sure of the state of a nation as its characteristic art product which has nothing to do with its material life. (New York: Liveright, 1970…
Permalink to quote #99 Propaganda is not French, it is not civilized to want other people to believe what you believe because the essence of being civilised is to possess yourself as…
Permalink to quote #96
Related quotes
The vast material displacements the machine has made in our physical environment are perhaps in the long run less important than its spiritual contributions to…
Lewis MumfordLewis Mumford quote #2 'I want the program to be very open and develop in style as time goes on. But I am also interested in the positive aspects of Asian family life and other Asian…
Vernon CoreaVernon Corea quote #1 Even today, when an Aboriginal mother notices the first stirrings of speech in her child, she lets it handle the 'things' of that particular country: leaves, f…
Bruce ChatwinBruce Chatwin quote #1