“The human eye has to be one of the cruelest tricks nature ever pulled. We can see a tiny, cone-shaped area of light right in front of our faces, restricted to a very narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum. We can’t see around walls, we can’t see heat or cold, we can’t see electricity or radio signals, we can’t see at a distance. It is a sense so limited that we might as well not have it, yet we have evolved to depend so heavily on it as a species that all other perception has atrophied. We have wound up with the utterly mad and often fatal delusion that if we can’t see something, it doesn’t exist. Virtually all of civilization’s failures can be traced back to that one ominous sentence: ‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’ We can’t even convince the public that global warming is dangerous. Why? Because carbon dioxide happens to be invisible.”
Example of Usage
In his book, "This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It," David Wong reflects on the limitations of human perception and the consequences of relying solely on what we can see. With a poignant statement about the human eye, Wong highlights the paradox of our visual sense and its impact on our understanding of the world around us.
Quote Analysis
In this quote by David Wong, he explores the limitations and biases of human perception, specifically focusing on the sense of sight. Wong argues that the human eye, while a powerful tool, is extremely limited in its ability to perceive the world around us. He suggests that our reliance on sight has led to a dangerous belief that if we cannot see something, it does not exist. This narrow perspective, Wong claims, has fueled many of civilization's failures and hindered our ability to address complex issues such as climate change. Through this quote, Wong challenges readers to reconsider the limits of their perception and the importance of looking beyond what is immediately visible.
The Limitations of Human Perception
In the quote above, David Wong reflects on the limitations of human perception, particularly focusing on the sense of sight. He highlights how our reliance on what we can physically see has hindered our ability to acknowledge and address important issues, such as climate change. This sentiment raises important questions about how we navigate the world and make decisions based on the information available to us.
Reflection Questions
After reading the quote by David Wong, take a moment to reflect on the limitations of human perception and the implications it has on our understanding of the world around us. Consider the following questions:
How does the quote challenge your perspective on the limitations of the human eye and its impact on our perception of reality?
In what ways does our heavy reliance on sight as a sense hinder our ability to comprehend phenomena that are not visible to the naked eye?
Reflect on a time when you or someone you know have struggled to accept the existence of something due to the lack of visual evidence. How did this experience shape your understanding of belief and reality?
What are some practical ways we can expand our perception beyond what is visible to us in order to better understand and address complex issues such as climate change?
Similar quotes
“People have faces. […] Spirits don’t have faces. And yet we recognise them. We know who is who. Spirits don’t have eyes or mouths or ears either. And yet they can see and speak and hear. […] The spirits are all around us. […] They’re right here, but we can’t see them.”
“Just because we don’t see eye to eye on everything doesn’t mean we can’t be close.”
“Sometimes we just have to accept there are things we can’t know. Why is your sister ill? Why did my father die?…Sometimes we think we should be able to know everything. But we can’t. we have to allow ourselves to see what there is to see, and we have to imagine.”
“He said that seeing and understanding are two different things. Our eyes show us one side of an object, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t five other sides we can’t see. So why thrust your eyes? Why live your whole life thinking that just because you can’t see every side to something, those other sides don’t exist?”
“Sometimes we think we should be able to know everything. But we can’t. We have to allow ourselves to see what there is to see, and we have to imagine.”