"Culture is a little like dropping an Alka-Seltzer into a glass - you don't see it, but somehow it does something"
- Hans Magnus Enzensberger
About this Quote
This quote by Hans Magnus Enzensberger is a metaphor for the power of culture. It recommends that culture resembles an Alka-Seltzer tablet, which is not visible but has a powerful result. The Alka-Seltzer tablet is dropped into a glass of water and it starts to fizz and liquify, creating a reaction that changes the water. Likewise, culture is not noticeable but it has an effective effect on society. It forms our beliefs, values, and behaviors, and affects how we connect with each other. It can likewise shape our attitudes and viewpoints, and even our physical environment. In this way, culture is like an invisible force that has a profound impact on our lives.
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"German is more familiar now since I live part of the year in Rome and part in the German part of Switzerland. But it's not difficult to sing in German; it's difficult to feel in German. This takes time. It's a culture"
"Noble life demands a noble architecture for noble uses of noble men. Lack of culture means what it has always meant: ignoble civilization and therefore imminent downfall"
