Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no need of change.
H. G. WellsRead
No. I cannot expect you to believe it. Take it as a lie--or a prophecy. Say I dreamed it in the workshop. Consider I have been speculating upon the destinies of our race until I have hatched this fiction. Treat my assertion of its truth as a mere stroke of art to enhance its interest. And taking it as a story, what do you think of it?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the nature of belief and storytelling, suggesting that truth can be subjective.
H. G. Wells' quote explores the idea that narratives, whether seen as truth or fiction, serve as vehicles for deeper contemplation about human existence and the future. It invites the audience to consider the significance of stories in shaping our understanding of reality and encourages critical thinking about the truths we accept, suggesting that every narrative has the potential to inspire thought, regardless of its origin.
Themes
BeliefStorytellingTruthFictionPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary discussion about the purpose of fiction, this quote can be used to illustrate the subjective nature of truth in storytelling.
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It [a new world order] needs only that the governments of Britain, the United States, France, Germany, and Russia should get together in order to set up an effective control of currency, credit, production, and distribution – that is to say, an effective ‘dictatorship of prosperity,’ for the whole world. The other sixty odd States would have to join in or accommodate themselves to the over-ruling decisions of these major Powers.
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Things that would have made fame of a less clever man seemed tricks in his hands. It is a mistake to do things too easily.
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The greatest task of democracy, its ritual and feast - is choice.
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