on having roots

I've had this quote circling my head for the last month and thought I'd put it here. While I firmly believe in having/maintaining/developing roots, I like how Rushdie turns the idea on its head - has us question what we consider to be roots. Perhaps paths we shouldn't necessarily have to take on or that wouldn't benefit us if we held so strong.

To explain why we become attached to our birthplaces, we pretend that we are trees and speak of “roots.” Look under your feet. You will not find gnarled growths sprouting through the soles. Roots, I sometimes think, are a conservative myth, designed to keep us in our places.

– Salman Rushdie