"Great minds are related to the brief span of time during which they live as great buildings are to a little square in which they stand: you cannot see them in all their magnitude because you are standing too close to them"
- Arthur Schopenhauer
About this Quote
In this quote, theorist Arthur Schopenhauer compares great minds to great structures, highlighting the minimal viewpoint we have when living in the exact same period as these exceptional people. He suggests that simply as we can not totally value the splendour of a structure when standing too near to it, we are not able to completely understand the sparkle of terrific minds when residing in the exact same period as them. This is because our proximity to them prevents us from seeing the complete scope of their ideas and contributions. Schopenhauer's words serve as a pointer to step back and acquire a more comprehensive point of view in order to really appreciate the success of these minds.
"It's a blast to watch. It's a lot more interesting live than it is on record. I mean, it really is a theatrical event. It's a sporting event! Cause you never know what's gonna happen"