Quote by Umberto Eco

There is a constant in the average American imagination and taste, for which the past must be preserved and celebrated in full-scale authentic copy; a philosophy of immortality as duplication. It dominates the relation with the self, with the past, not infrequently with the present, always with History and, even, with the European tradition.

There is a constant in the average American imagination and

Summary

This quote suggests that there is a prevalent belief among Americans to preserve and celebrate the past in an exact and authentic manner. The emphasis on duplicating the past reflects a desire for immortality, as if by recreating history, one can bring it back to life. This philosophy extends to one's relationship with themselves, their understanding and interpretation of the past, and even their view of European traditions. It implies a reverence for history and tradition, and a tendency to prioritize authenticity in American imagination and taste.

Topics

America

By Umberto Eco

Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

People assume that all artists make for terrible business pe

People assume that all artists make for terrible business people, but I'm in complete charge of my own career.

Business

If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable re

If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.

Winston Churchill

That all men are equal is a proposition to which, at ordinar

That all men are equal is a proposition to which, at ordinary times, no sane human being has ever given his assent.

Men

Tamed as it may be, sexuality remains one of the demonic for

Tamed as it may be, sexuality remains one of the demonic forces in human consciousness -- pushing us at intervals close to taboo and dangerous desires, which range from the impulse to commit sudden arbitrary violence upon another person to the voluptuous yearning for the extinction of one's consciousness, for death itself. Even on the level of simple physical sensation and mood, making love surely resembles having an epileptic fit at least as much as, if not more than, it does eating a meal or conversing with someone.

Sex

Love, Fear and Hate and Childish Toys Are here discreetly bl

Love, Fear and Hate and Childish Toys Are here discreetly blent; Admire, you ladies, read, you boys, My Country Sentiment.

Love

Our worst fears, like our greatest hopes, are not outside ou

Our worst fears, like our greatest hopes, are not outside our powers, and we can come in the end to triumph over the former and to achieve the latter.

Some grief shows much of love,But much of grief shows still

Some grief shows much of love,But much of grief shows still some want of wit.

William Shakespeare

Grief Mourning

Practice without improvement is meaningless.

Practice without improvement is meaningless.

Practice

Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her s

Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy.

Beyonce Knowles

Strength

The great object of my fear is the federal judiciary. That b

The great object of my fear is the federal judiciary. That body, like gravity, ever acting, with noiseless foot, and unalarming advance, gaining ground step by step, and holding what it gains, is ingulfing insidiously the special governments into the jaws of that which feeds them.

Thomas Jefferson

I'm a firm believer that in the theory that people only do t

I'm a firm believer that in the theory that people only do their best at things they truly enjoy. It is difficult to excel at something you don't enjoy.

Enjoyment

No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding.

No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding.

Understanding Lawandlawyers