Inspirational Quotes by Theodor W. Adorno (German Philosopher)

The specific is not exclusive: it lacks the aspiration to totality.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Aspirations

The Enlightenment has always aimed at liberating men from fear and establishing their sovereignty. Yet the fully enlightened earth radiates disaster triumphant.
—Theodor W. Adorno

A successful work of art is not one which resolves contradictions in a spurious harmony, but one which expresses the idea of harmony negatively by embodying the contradictions, pure and uncompromised, in its innermost structure.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Harmony

Intolerance of ambiguity is the mark of an authoritarian personality.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Personality, Tolerance

Once the last trace of emotion has been eradicated, nothing remains of thought but absolute tautology.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Emotions

There are no more ideologies in the authentic sense of false consciousness, only advertisements for the world through its duplication and the provocative lie which does not seek belief but commands silence.
—Theodor W. Adorno

Tact is the discrimination of differences. It consists in conscious deviations.
—Theodor W. Adorno

Art is permitted to survive only if it renounces the right to be different, and integrates itself into the omnipotent realm of the profane.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Artists, Art, Arts

He who matures early lives in anticipation.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Anticipation, One liners

Culture is only true when implicitly critical, and the mind which forgets this revenges itself in the critics it breeds. Criticism is an indispensable element of culture.
—Theodor W. Adorno
Topics: Criticism, Critics

None of the abstract concepts comes closer to fulfilled utopia than that of eternal peace.
—Theodor W. Adorno