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Straight to the utmost crown of night he flew. The nothingness was a nakedness, a point Beyond which thought could not progress as thought. He had to choose. But it was not a choice Between excluding things. It was not a choice Between, but of. He chose to include the things That in each other are included, the whole, The complicate, the amassing harmony.

Wallace Stevens#161

ComplexityChoiceDecisionHarmony

About this quote

What does it mean?
True choice involves embracing complexity and harmony rather than excluding parts.
In plain terms
Real choice means including all parts, not just picking one.
What can you take from it?
Embrace complexity instead of simplifying choices.

Where it applies

  • leadership
  • relationships
  • ethics

Putting it to work

  • listen widely
  • build teams
  • integrate ideas

Questions to consider

  • Can you choose everything?
  • What is unity?

Another view

Sometimes exclusion is necessary for safety.

More from Wallace Stevens

  1. The nothingness was a nakedness, a point, Beyond which fact could not progress as fact. Thereon the learning of the man conceived Once more night's pale illumi…

    Permalink to quote #160
  2. He imposes orders as he thinks of them, As the fox and snake do. It is a brave affair.

    Permalink to quote #162
  3. The words they spoke were voices that she heard. She looked at them and saw them as they were And what she felt fought off the barest phrase.

    Permalink to quote #159

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