symbol
A symbol is the magical label humans create to transform abstract ideas into concrete images, encouraging mental laziness. It makes us feel we understand, shelving deeper questions for the sake of comfort. In reality it is the graveyard of genuine inquiry, nothing more than a decorative trinket. As long as symbols exist, substantive dialogue will die inside the gift box of platitudes. By relying on symbols, humans pretend to grasp meaning while wandering in emptiness.