PATTERNS | Curious Quotes

This week on Curious Quotes and Universal Themes we take a closer look at PATTERNS. We use patterns to try and make sense out of the world around us. If everything were constantly presented randomly, then we would be cognitively exhausted trying to determine what is going to come next. Although, if things were always presented randomly, then even that would be a pattern. 

Take a moment to pause and reflect as you consider these four generalizations related to patterns. How do these generalizations CONNECT to what you already know? How do these generalization EXTEND your thinking in new directions? What do you WONDER about these generalizations? 

This week's first quote comes from Kate DiCamillo, author of such books as Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, and ​Flora & Ulysses. Have you ever felt lost or that you weren't making any forward progress toward your destination? How did that make you feel? What were the circumstances? Did it feel like you were caught in a maze? 

For this slide, I used the Benguiat font which was made famous by the Choose Your Own Adventure book series and the logo for the Netflix series, Stranger Things. 

This quote comes from Futurist author Alvin Toffler, author of the book Future Shock. What do you think it means to be a futurist? Have you ever seen a Zoltar fortune telling machine? Why do you think a futurist would say that nobody knows the future with certainty? Is is possible to know anything with certainty? 

This quote comes from hip-hop billionaire, Jay-Z. What do you think it takes to become an artist? When have you seen patterns, details, and connections that others could not see? Tell about an experience where you have been distracted or seen others distracted by the blur of life. When you are distracted or not paying attention, what are the things that you miss out on? Why do you think that Jay-Z says that sharing this information can be a powerful thing? 

This quote from Malcolm X is from a speech at the Congress for Racial Equality in Detroit, Michigan on April 12, 1964. Notice the repeated patterns of the quote and how each idea builds on the previous one. Why do you think Malcolm X used pattens in this way? How does this use of patterns in speech build to a memorable thought? 

Finally, we conclude with this quote from martial arts expert, Bruce Lee. What truth do you think that Bruce Lee is referring to? Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Does truth ever reside inside of patterns? How does this idea contradict the generalizations listed above? 

Do you notice any PATTERNS in this collection of quotes about PATTERNS? 

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Want to learn more about PATTERNS? Check out this episode of Brain Games on Disney+!