Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails.
Interpretation
Pursuing truth passionately can lead to personal liberation, even if you never fully grasp it.
In this quote, Clarence Darrow emphasizes the importance of passionately seeking the truth. The journey itself towards understanding and uncovering truth can lead to personal freedom and enlightenment, even if the complete truth remains elusive, suggesting that the act of searching is valuable in itself.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a discussion on the importance of seeking knowledge.
With all their faults, trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the race, for the developing of character in men, than any other association of men.
Do I need to argue to Your Honor that cruelty only breeds cruelty? That hatred only causes hatred; that if there is any way to soften this human heart which is hard enough at its best, if there is any way to kill evil and hatred and all that goes with it, it is not through evil and hatred and cruelty; it is through charity, and love, and understanding?
Chase after the truth like all hell.
No other offense has ever been visited with such severe penalties as seeking to help the oppressed.
Liberty is the most jealous and exacting mistress that can beguile the brain and soul of man. She will have nothing from him who will not give her all. She knows that his pretended love serves but to betray. But when once the fierce heat of her quenchless, lustrous eyes have burned into the victim's heart, he will know no other smile but hers.
The trouble with law is lawyers.
Remarkable work is always not on the list, because if it was, it would be commonplace, not remarkable.
Make yourselves nests of pleasant thoughts. None of us knows what fairy palaces we may build of beautiful thought-proof against all adversity. Bright fancies, satisfied memories, noble histories, faithful sayings, treasure houses of precious and restful thoughts, which care cannot disturb, nor pain make gloomy, nor poverty take away from us.
I know this for sure, that doing good actually makes you better.
Avoid banquets which are given by strangers an ignorant persons. But if there is ever occasion to join them, let your attention be carefully fixed, that you slip not into the manner of the vulgar (the uninstructed).
A man must not swallow more beliefs than he can digest.
If you are pitched into misery, remember that your days on this earth are counted and you might as well make the best of those you have left.
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