Poets are being pursued by the philosophers today, out of the poverty of philosophy. God damn it, you might think a man had no business to be writing, to be a poet unless some philosophic stinker gave him permission.
William Carlos WilliamsRead
No opinion can be trusted; even the facts may be nothing but a printer's error.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests skepticism towards opinions and even established facts, implying they may be flawed or misleading.
William Carlos Williams expresses a deep skepticism regarding the reliability of opinions and facts. He implies that what we accept as truth may be fundamentally flawed, akin to a simple error made by a printer. This underscores the complexity of discerning truth in a world where perceptions can be easily manipulated or misunderstood.
Themes
TruthSkepticismOpinionFactsPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about misinformation, this quote can emphasize the need for critical thinking.
More from William Carlos Williams
All quotes βFor the beginning is assuredly the end- since we know nothing, pure and simple, beyond our own complexities.
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It was the love of love, the love of swallows up all else, a grateful love, a love of natural, of people, of animals, a love ingengering gentleness and goodness that moved meand that I saw in you
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O frost bitten blossoms, That are unfolding your wings From out the envious black branches. Bloom quickly and make much of the sunshine. The twigs conspire against you! Hear hem! They hold you from behind.
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It is almost impossible to state what one in fact believes, because it is almost impossible to hold a belief and to define it at the same time.
William Carlos WilliamsRead
Death will be too late to bring us aid.
William Carlos WilliamsRead
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