Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding something intellectually doesn't guarantee belief in it emotionally or personally.
This quote by John Steinbeck highlights the complex nature of human cognition and belief. It suggests that an individual can grasp a concept or fact on an intellectual level, yet choose to reject it emotionally or personally because of biases, fears, or experiences. This reflects a fundamental aspect of human nature, where knowledge and belief do not always align, illustrating the struggle many people face in reconciling what they know with what they accept as true in their lives.
Themes
BeliefKnowledgeHuman NatureCognitionTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate on the importance of climate change knowledge, this quote can emphasize the gap between understanding and belief.
More from John Steinbeck
All quotes βAt one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
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And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
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The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
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People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
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You're going to pass something down no matter what you do or if you do nothing. Even if you let yourself go fallow, the weeds will grow and the brambles. Something will grow.
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