"We say nothing essential about the cathedral when we speak of its stones. We say nothing essential about Man when we seek to define him by the qualities of men"

This quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery is a reminder that we can not define something by its parts. We can not specify a cathedral by its stones, nor can we specify an individual by the qualities of other people. This quote is a suggestion that we need to look beyond the surface to really comprehend something. It is a pointer that we need to look at the entire, not just the parts, to understand the essence of something. It is a reminder that we need to take a look at the context and the environment to comprehend the true nature of something. We need to take a look at the bigger image to understand the true essence of something. This quote is a pointer that we must look beyond the surface to truly comprehend something.