The quote by Paul Valery, "Modern man no longer works at what cannot be abbreviated" suggests a reflection on how society values efficiency and convenience in the modern world. Valery is arguing that contemporary individuals are less willing to invest time and effort into tasks that cannot be shortened or expedited. This emphasis on abbreviation and brevity could be seen as a commentary on the fast-paced nature of modern life, where there is a constant pressure to achieve results quickly and efficiently. Overall, Valery's quote highlights a shift in priorities and values in today's society, where convenience often takes precedence over depth and complexity.
The quote by Paul Valery highlights the shift towards efficiency and productivity in modern society. With advancements in technology and the pace of life continually increasing, people are constantly seeking ways to streamline tasks and processes. This mindset of abbreviating or simplifying work tasks has become a necessity in order to keep up with the demands of the fast-paced world we live in today.
Paul Valery's quote "Modern man no longer works at what cannot be abbreviated" highlights the modern day culture of efficiency and convenience.
This can be observed in the way people communicate through abbreviations in text messages and emails, or in the shortcuts used in various fields such as technology and business. The drive to simplify and streamline processes has become a defining characteristic of contemporary society.
In today's fast-paced world, the need for efficiency and productivity is often prioritized over taking the time for deeper contemplation and reflection. Valery's quote raises important questions about how we approach our work and lives. Consider the following reflection questions:
“O Socrates, the universe cannot for one instant endure to be only what it is. It is strange to think that that which is All cannot be sufficient unto itself!”
“I am not averse to generalizing the notion of "modern" to designate a certain way of life, rather than making it purely a synonym of 'contemporary'. There are moments and places in history to which 'we moderns' could return without too greatly disturbing the harmony of those times, without seeming objects infinitely curious and conspicuous... creatures shocking, dissonant, and unassailable.”
“A work is never completed except by some accident such as weariness, satisfaction, the need to deliver, or death: for, in relation to who or what is making it, it can only be one stage in a series of inner transformations.”
“I am now going to make an admission. I confess, I agree, that all these good people who protested, who laughed, who did not perceive what we perceived, were in a quite legitimate position. Their opinion was quite in order. One must not be afraid to say that the kingdom of letters is only a province of the vast empire of entertainment. One picks up a book, one puts it aside; and even when one cannot put it down one very well understands that this interest is related to the facility of pleasure. That is to say that every effort of a creator of beauty or of fantasy should be bent, by the very essence of his work, on contriving for the public pleasure which demands no effort, or almost none. It is through the public that he should deduce what touches, moves, soothes, animates or enchants the public.There are however several publics; amongst whom it is not impossible to find some people who do not conceive of pleasure without pain, who do not like to enjoy themselves without paying, and who are not happy if their happiness is not in some part their own contrivance through which they wish to realize what it costs them. ”
“But Socrates cannot but have been meditating upon something?... Can he ever remain solitary with himself -- and silent to his very soul!”
“What is more important than the meal? Doesn’t the least observant man-about-town look upon the implementation and ritual progress of a meal as a liturgical prescription? Isn’t all of civilization apparent in these careful preparations, which consecrate the spirit’s triumph over a raging appetite?”