The purpose of psychology is to give us a completely different idea of the things we know best.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Valery suggests psychology reveals that our familiarity with common things blinds us to their true nature.
- In plain terms
- Psychology teaches us that the things we know best are often misunderstood.
- What can you take from it?
- Familiarity often leads to misunderstanding rather than knowledge.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do we misunderstand things we see every day?
- What does psychology teach you about your mind?
Another view
It implies we know little about ourselves without science.
More from Paul Valery
God created man, and finding him not sufficiently alone, gave him a female companion so that he might feel his solitude more acutely.
Permalink to quote #17 Politeness is organized indifference.
Permalink to quote #19 That which has always been accepted by everyone, everywhere, is almost certain to be false.
Permalink to quote #16
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