Quote by Jonathan Franzen
Life, in her experience, had a kind of velvet luster. You looked at yourself from one perspective and all you saw was weirdness. Move your head a little bit, though, and everything looked reasonably normal. She believed she couldn't hurt anybody as long as she was only working.
Summary
This quote highlights the subjective nature of life and perception. From one perspective, one may see themselves as strange or unconventional, reflecting the "weirdness" within. However, by simply changing the viewpoint, things seem more ordinary and conventional. The protagonist believes that as long as they are engrossed in their work, they are not capable of causing harm to others, suggesting that their devotion to their job provides them with a sense of purpose and moral grounding.