QuoteProject
I like the truth sometimes, but I don't care enough for it to hanker after it.
Mark Twain
ShareWTF𝕏

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

TruthPhilosophyAcceptanceCasualHuman Nature

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

Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
The 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.
Mark TwainRead
You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
Mark TwainRead
To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
Mark TwainRead
Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
Mark TwainRead
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.
Mark TwainRead

Similar quotes

The question is very understandable, but no one has found a satisfactory answer to it so far. Yes, why do they make still more gigantic planes, still heavier bombs and, at the same time, prefabricated houses for reconstruction? Why should millions be spent daily on the war and yet there's not a penny available for medical services, artists, or for poor people? Why do some people have to starve, while there are surpluses rotting in other parts of the world? Oh, why are people so crazy?
Anne FrankRead
Goodness is achieved not in a vacuum, but in the company of other men, attended by love.
Saul BellowRead
Admiration is a very short-lived passion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object.
Joseph AddisonRead
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.
Roger ScrutonRead
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.
Nadine GordimerRead
A universe with a creator would be a totally different kind of universe, scientifically speaking, than one without.
Richard DawkinsRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by Mark Twain | QuoteProject