If there was one overarching theme to 'True Detective,' I would say it was that, as human beings, we are nothing but the stories we live and die by - so you'd better be careful what stories you tell yourself.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that our identities are shaped by the narratives we create, so we must choose those stories wisely.
In this quote by Nic Pizzolatto, the essence of human existence is tied to the stories that we construct for ourselves throughout our lives. These personal narratives dictate our beliefs, actions, and ultimately, our destinies. Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of the stories we tell ourselves, as they significantly influence our self-perception and choices, shaping the very essence of who we are.
In practice
In a discussion about personal growth, one might say, 'Remember, we are the stories we tell ourselves, so choose your narrative wisely.'
We're all born storytellers. It's part of the species. But, more specifically, I suppose a particular combination of sensitivity and trauma made me a writer: an essential disquiet with reality, which required exploration through portrayal.
God hates violence. He has ordained that all men fairly possess their property, not seize it.
Easy, simple and great laws, which await nothing but a sign from the lawgiver to spread prosperity and vigour throughout the nation, laws which would earn him immortal hymns of gratitude down the generations, are those which are least considered or least wanted.
If a lion could talk, we could not understand him.
In this very real world, good doesn't drive out evil. Evil doesn't drive out good. But the energetic displaces the passive.
Christianity remains to this day the greatest misfortune of humanity.
Our submission to general principles is necessary because we cannot be guided in our practical action by full knowledge and evaluation of the consequences. So long as men are not omniscient, the only way in which freedom can be given to the individual is by such general rules to delimit the sphere in which the decision is his. There can be no freedom if the government is not limited to particular kinds of action but can use its powers in any ways which serve particular ends.
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