"There was a time when meanings were focused and reality could be fixed; when that sort of belief disappeared, things became uncertain and open to interpretation"

This quote by Bridget Riley speaks to the idea that there was a time when individuals had a clear understanding of the world around them and might depend on certain realities. This certainty permitted them to have a fixed view of truth. Nevertheless, as this belief began to disappear, individuals were entrusted to a sense of uncertainty and the requirement to analyze the world around them. This quote speaks to the idea that as our understanding of the world has actually changed, so too has our capability to interpret it. We no longer have the very same level of certainty that we when had, and instead should depend on our own interpretations of the world. This quote highlights the value of being able to analyze the world around us, and how our understanding of it has actually altered with time.