One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
All men are fools, if truth be told, but the ones in motley are more amusing than ones with crowns.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that all people have foolish aspects, but those who openly display their folly (like clowns) can be more entertaining than those who hide it behind authority.
In this quote, George R. R. Martin highlights the universal nature of human folly, suggesting that everyone has their foolishness. However, he points out that those who embrace and show their foolishness, such as jesters or clowns (the ones in motley), bring more joy and amusement than those who appear serious or regal (the ones with crowns). This speaks to the idea that authenticity and humor can often be more appealing than the facade of dignity or authority.
Themes
FoolHumorTruthEntertainmentAuthenticity
In practice
Example use cases
During a public speaking event, one might use this quote to emphasize the value of authenticity over pretense.
More from George R. R. Martin
All quotes βI hate outlines. I have a broad sense of where the story is going; I know the end, I know the end of the principal characters, and I know the major turning points and events from the books, the climaxes for each book, but I don't necessarily know each twist and turn along the way. That's something I discover in the course of writing and that's what makes writing enjoyable. I think if I outlined comprehensively and stuck to the outline the actual writing would be boring.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: βNot today.
George R. R. MartinRead
I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had.β He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. βI wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here.
George R. R. MartinRead
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.
George R. R. MartinRead
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.
George R. R. MartinRead
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