Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
I like the truth sometimes, but I don't care enough for it to hanker after it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a casual attitude towards truth, suggesting that while truth is appreciated, it is not always pursued diligently.
Mark Twain's quote articulates a nuanced perspective on truth. It implies that while he acknowledges the importance of truth at times, he does not feel compelled to chase after it relentlessly. This suggests a recognition of the complexities in seeking truth and an acceptance of human fallibility in the pursuit of certainty. It encourages a balanced approach where one values truth without becoming overly fixated on it.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on honesty, one might say this quote to emphasize the importance of moderation in seeking truth.
More from Mark Twain
All quotes βThe easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
Similar quotes
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Goodness is achieved not in a vacuum, but in the company of other men, attended by love.
Admiration is a very short-lived passion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object.
We should make the case for the things we love, even if we think that people will misunderstand them. That is why people defend the U.S. Constitution, even though so few really understand the subtle thinking embodied in that document.
What is the purpose of writing? For me personally, it is really to explain the mystery of life, and the mystery of life includes, of course, the personal, the political, the forces that make us what we are while there's another force from inside battling to make us something else.
A universe with a creator would be a totally different kind of universe, scientifically speaking, than one without.