There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.
T. S. EliotRead
All significant truths are private truths. As they become public they cease to become truths; they become facts, or at best, part of the public character; or at worst, catchwords.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Private truths lose their significance once they are shared publicly, transforming into mere facts or clichés.
This quote by T. S. Eliot emphasizes the distinction between personal truths and public knowledge. Private truths hold deep meaning for individuals, but as they are shared in the public domain, they lose their essence and become mere facts or oversimplified phrases. This transformation can dilute the original intent and significance of these truths, leading them to be perceived as less profound over time.
Themes
TruthPrivatePublicSignificanceMeaningFactsPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal beliefs, one might quote this to highlight how individual truths can be misunderstood when generalized.
More from T. S. Eliot
All quotes →Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not interest them.
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I am an Anglo-Catholic in religion, a classicist in literature and a royalist in politics.
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If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?
T. S. EliotRead
For I have known them all already, known them all— Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
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In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
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