The only thing that I react really violently to is being misquoted.
Interpretation
Misrepresentation of one's words can cause strong emotional responses.
Gore Vidal emphasizes the importance of accurately representing someone's thoughts and words. Misquotation can lead to misunderstandings and distortions of one's beliefs and intentions, provoking an intense reaction from the individual whose words have been misrepresented.
In practice
During a speech against misinformation, one might reference Vidal's quote to highlight the significance of truthfulness.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
Some people spend the day in complaining of a headache, and the night in drinking the wine that gives it.
Even if they don't know that you are practicing for them, you are helping them and in turn they are helping you. They are actively helping you to develop your compassion, and so to purify and heal yourself. For me, all dying people are teachers, giving to all those who help them a chance to transform themselves through developing their compassion.
Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be constant.
Knowledge is one thing, virtue is another.
Just go with it. It won't hurt.' I stared at him. Adults only ever said that when it, whatever it happened to be, was going to hurt so much.
Ignorance of one's misfortunes is clear gain.
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