“Knowledge is happiness, because to have knowledge - broad deep knowledge - is to know true ends from false, and lofty things from low. To know the thoughts and deeds that have marked man’s progress is to feel the great heart-throbs of humanity through the centuries; and if one does not feel in these pulsations a heavenward striving, one must indeed be deaf to the harmonies of life.”
What this quote means
Helen Keller asserts that knowledge is happiness because it enables us to discern true from false, lofty from low. By studying the history of human thoughts and deeds, we connect with humanity's deepest aspirations. This connection awakens in us a striving toward progress and transcendence. For Keller, being insensitive to these pulsations is being deaf to life's harmonies. Knowledge is not just accumulation of facts; it's a key to understanding and appreciating existence.
How to apply it daily
Read an article or chapter about a human achievement (scientific, artistic, or social). Reflect on how this knowledge broadens your worldview and inspires you.
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