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Why ask for truth," Ser Barristan said softly, "if you close your ears to it?
George R. R. Martin
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Seeking the truth requires openness to hear it, regardless of discomfort.

This quote emphasizes the idea that one cannot truly seek or understand the truth if they are unwilling to listen. It suggests that a preemptive closure of the mind to uncomfortable or challenging truths results in ignorance and hinders personal growth and understanding.

Themes

TruthListeningUnderstandingHonestyWisdom

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about integrity, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of being open to difficult conversations.

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But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. 'Life is not a song, sweetling,' he'd told her, 'You may learn that one day to your sorrow.' In life, the monsters win, she told herself.
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I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.
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