ByQuotes

Clifford Geertz Quotes

Powerful Clifford Geertz for Daily Growth

About Clifford Geertz

Clifford Geertz (July 23, 1926 – April 30, 2006) was an American anthropologist who made significant contributions to the field of cultural anthropology. Born in San Francisco, California, he grew up in New York City and attended the prestigious Columbia University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1952. Geertz's work was heavily influenced by his experiences living in Indonesia from 1957 to 1962, a period he spent conducting fieldwork on Balinese culture for his seminal book "The Interpretation of Cultures" (1973). This work, often considered one of the most important anthropological texts of the 20th century, introduced the concept of thick description, which posits that cultural phenomena should be understood through detailed, nuanced interpretations. Geertz's other significant works include "Religion of Java" (1960), where he explored the role of religion in Balinese society; "Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia" (1972); and "Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretative Anthropology" (1983). These works continued to develop his interpretive anthropology approach, focusing on understanding cultures through their symbols, meanings, and narratives. Geertz was a prolific writer who also published numerous essays in academic journals. His influence extended beyond anthropology, impacting sociology, philosophy, literary criticism, and cultural studies. Geertz received numerous awards for his work, including the National Book Award for "The Interpretation of Cultures." He passed away in 2006, leaving behind a rich body of work that continues to shape our understanding of human cultures.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Religion is a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the factualness of the world is in good part taken for granted."

Clifford Geertz's quote suggests that religion functions as a system of symbols, beliefs, and rituals that shape people's attitudes, emotions, and motivations towards the world and their place within it. These religious constructs provide an understanding of the broader order of existence, often presented with an air of factuality, thereby reinforcing the perceived truthfulness of reality itself. In essence, religion provides a cultural framework that helps people navigate their lives by providing meaning, purpose, and guidance.

"Culture is local knowledge."

This quote suggests that culture, which encompasses the beliefs, values, customs, traditions, and behaviors of a particular group or society, is deeply rooted in its local context. It's not just a universal set of principles but a unique and specific body of knowledge that shapes the way a community perceives, interacts with, and makes sense of their world. Understanding culture requires grasping this localized, context-specific knowledge, which can vary significantly even among neighboring communities.

"The interpretation of cultures must be, among other things, an interpretative act. There are no keys, only keyholes."

Clifford Geertz suggests that understanding different cultures is a complex process, not a simple matter of unlocking pre-defined truths or "keys." Instead, it's about approaching each culture as an individual and unique perspective or "keyhole," acknowledging the subjectivity and interpretation involved in gaining insight. In other words, we must engage with a culture in a way that is sensitive to its nuances and complexities, rather than trying to force it into preconceived categories.

"Man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun."

This quote by Clifford Geertz suggests that humans are unique because we create, understand, and live within complex systems of meaning (the "webs") that we ourselves construct. These meanings give shape to our perceptions, actions, culture, and identity. In essence, the quote underscores the human capacity for symbolic thinking and the role it plays in shaping our experiences and understanding of the world.

"We are saved not by faith but by the faithful seeing of reality."

This quote suggests that understanding and perceiving the world around us accurately, rather than blindly adhering to beliefs or dogmas, is crucial for personal growth and salvation. It emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and open-mindedness in navigating life's complexities. The "faithful seeing of reality" implies a deep and thoughtful engagement with the world that leads to wisdom and, by extension, to individual fulfillment or "salvation."

The way in which mathematicians and physicists and historians talk is quite different, and what a physicist means by physical intuition and what a mathematician means by beauty or elegance are things worth thinking about.

- Clifford Geertz

Historians, Which, Means, Physicist

The point of literary criticism in anthropology is not to replace research, but to find out how it is that we are persuasive.

- Clifford Geertz

Find, How, Persuasive, Anthropology

I've often been accused of making anthropology into literature, but anthropology is also field research. Writing is central to it.

- Clifford Geertz

Making, Been, Accused, Anthropology

I think feminism has had a major impact on anthropology.

- Clifford Geertz

Think, I Think, Major, Anthropology

People keep asking how anthropology is different from sociology, and everybody gets nervous.

- Clifford Geertz

Asking, How, Everybody, Anthropology

Two people have been really liberating in my mind; one is Wittgenstein and the other is Burke. I read Burke before he was a secular saint, before everyone was reading him.

- Clifford Geertz

Mind, Other, Been, Liberating

I was trained in the '50s as a New Critic. I remember what literature was like before the New Critics, when people stood up and talked about Shelley's soul and such things.

- Clifford Geertz

New, I Remember, Trained, Shelley

The North African mule talks always of his mother's brother, the horse, but never of his father, the donkey, in favor of others supposedly more reputable.

- Clifford Geertz

More, Always, Supposedly, Mule

I do think the attempt to raise consciousness has succeeded. People are very aware of gender concerns now.

- Clifford Geertz

Think, Consciousness, Very, Concerns

I think the perception of there being a deep gulf between science and the humanities is false.

- Clifford Geertz

Deep, Think, I Think, Gulf

I agree with Chomsky in almost nothing. When it comes to innate structures and so on, I'm very skeptical.

- Clifford Geertz

Nothing, Very, Almost, Skeptical

I had a hard time convincing students that they were going to North Africa to understand the North Africans, not to understand themselves.

- Clifford Geertz

Africa, Going, Convincing, North Africa

Has feminism made us all more conscious? I think it has. Feminist critiques of anthropological masculine bias have been quite important, and they have increased my sensitivity to that kind of issue.

- Clifford Geertz

Think, Been, I Think, Sensitivity

I think what's known about neurology is still scattered and uncertain.

- Clifford Geertz

Think, I Think, Still, Uncertain

Anthropology in general has always been fairly hospitable to female scholars, and even to feminist scholars.

- Clifford Geertz

Always, Been, General, Scholars

It's always amusing to look at how something early in the 20th century was written in anthropology and how it's written now. There's been an enormous shift in how it's done, but yet you can't put your finger on someone who actually did it.

- Clifford Geertz

Been, Shift, Your, Amusing

Younger anthropologists have the notion that anthropology is too diverse. The number of things done under the name of anthropology is just infinite; you can do anything and call it anthropology.

- Clifford Geertz

Anthropology, Done, Younger, Diverse

My instincts are always against people who want to fasten some sort of hegemony onto things.

- Clifford Geertz

Some, Always, Against, Instincts

Anthropology never has had a distinct subject matter, and because it doesn't have a real method, there's a great deal of anxiety over what it is.

- Clifford Geertz

Anthropology, Deal, Over, Great Deal

If I remember correctly, a writer is someone who wants to convey information. Language or writing is a code.

- Clifford Geertz

Language, I Remember, Code, Convey

We need to think more about the nature of rhetoric in anthropology. There isn't a body of knowledge and thought to fall back on in this regard.

- Clifford Geertz

Thought, Think, Anthropology, Rhetoric

I'm writing a review of three books on feminism and science, and it's about social constructionism. So I would say I'm a social constructionist, whatever that means.

- Clifford Geertz

Social, About, Means, Review

I don't feel that an atmosphere of debate and total disagreement and argument is such a bad thing. It makes for a vital and alive field.

- Clifford Geertz

Bad, Argument, Atmosphere, Vital

I'm an inveterate fox and not a hedgehog, so I always think you should try everything.

- Clifford Geertz

Think, Always, Inveterate, Hedgehog

We're getting closer to our nature.

- Clifford Geertz

Nature, Getting, Our, Closer

Meaning is socially, historically, and rhetorically constructed.

- Clifford Geertz

Constructed, Socially, Historically

I don't write drafts. I write from the beginning to the end, and when it's finished, it's done.

- Clifford Geertz

Beginning, End, I Write, Drafts

Gender consciousness has become involved in almost every intellectual field: history, literature, science, anthropology. There's been an extraordinary advance.

- Clifford Geertz

Gender, Anthropology, Been, Become

I don't think things are moving toward an omega point; I think they're moving toward more diversity.

- Clifford Geertz

Think, More, I Think, Moving

I think of myself as a writer who happens to be doing his writing as an anthropologist.

- Clifford Geertz

Doing, Think, I Think, Anthropologist

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.