One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
Minds are like swords, I do fear. The old ones go to rust.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Our minds require constant use and sharpening, or they may become dull and ineffective over time.
In this quote, George R. R. Martin suggests that just as swords need to be maintained to remain sharp and effective, our minds likewise need to be actively engaged and cultivated. Without consistent challenge and exercise, our mental faculties can stagnate and lose their edge, highlighting the importance of continual learning and intellectual stimulation throughout life.
Themes
MindSwordsRustSharpnessMaintenance
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about lifelong learning, one might say, 'As George R. R. Martin reminds us, minds are like swords, and we must keep them sharp.'
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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Not knowing everything is all that makes it OK, sometimes.
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To some men it is hard seeing a call of God through difficulties; when if it would but clothe itself with a few carnal advantages, how apparent it is to them! They can see it through a little cranny.
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Not knowing of the eternal leads to unfortunate errors.
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Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.
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