Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
Edward AbbeyRead
Some of my ancestors fought in the American Revolution. A few more wore red coats, a few wore blue coats, and the rest wore no coats at all. We never did figure out who won that war.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the ambiguity of history and the complexity of truth in events like war.
Edward Abbey’s quote suggests that the outcomes of historical events such as the American Revolution are often murky and open to interpretation. By acknowledging that some of his ancestors fought on both sides, and that the victor remains unclear, Abbey prompts us to consider the subjective nature of history and the multiple narratives that emerge from significant conflicts.
Themes
HistoryWarAncestorsInterpretationTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the significance of historical narratives, this quote can highlight the complexity of our past.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes →I love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
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If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
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The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
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I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
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Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Edward AbbeyRead
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