That's one form of magic, of course." "What, just knowing things?" "Knowing things that other people don't know.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the notion that knowledge can be seen as a form of magic, particularly when it reveals truths unknown to others.
In this quote, Terry Pratchett suggests that there is a certain enchantment or 'magic' in possessing knowledge, especially when it is unique or not widely known. This kind of understanding can empower individuals and set them apart, illustrating the idea that knowledge and awareness can transform one's perspective and reality, much like the fantastical elements found in magic.
In practice
In a speech about lifelong learning, one could say, 'As Terry Pratchett puts it, 'Knowing things that other people don't know' is a form of magic that helps us grow.
And then Jack chopped down what was the world's last beanstalk, adding murder and ecological terrorism to the theft, enticement, and trespass charges already mentioned, and all the giant's children didn't have a daddy anymore. But he got away with it and lived happily ever after, without so much as a guilty twinge about what he had done...which proves that you can be excused for just about anything if you are a hero, because no one asks inconvenient questions.
They've got something they do it with, I think it's called a mocracy, and it means everyone in the whole country can say who the new Tyrant is. One man ... one vet. ... Everyone has ... the vet. Except for women, of course. And children. And criminals. And slaves. And stupid people. And people of foreign extraction. And people disapproved of for, er, various reasons. And lots of other people. But everyone apart from them. It's a very enlightened civilization.
Geography is just physics slowed down, with a couple of trees stuck in it.
You can't trample infidels when you're a tortoise. I mean, all you could do is give them a meaningful look.
Any fool could be a witch with a runic knife, but it took skill to be one with an apple corer.
People look down on stuff like geography and meteorology, and not only because they're standing on one and being soaked by the other. They don't look quite like real science. But geography is only physics slowed down and with a few trees stuck on it, and meteorology is full of excitingly fashionable chaos and complexity. And summer isn't a time. It's a place as well. Summer is a moving creature and likes to go south for the winter.
There is nothing so satisfying as to be shot at without effect.
When you blame and criticize others, you are avoiding some truth about yourself.
I dream of lost vocabularies that might express some of what we no longer can.
Hesitation increases in relation to risk in equal proportion to age.
I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
If you haven't cried, your eyes can't be beautiful.
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