When I learnt to write I became my own master, I became very strong, and that strength is with me to this very day.
V. S. NaipaulRead
The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We suffer the most from the deceptions we create in our own minds.
This quote suggests that self-deception is the most harmful form of lying. It implies that the lies we tell ourselves can lead to significant emotional and psychological distress, as they can cloud our judgment and hinder personal growth.
Themes
Self-DeceptionTruthWisdomPersonal GrowthLies
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a discussion about honesty in personal relationships.
More from V. S. Naipaul
All quotes βIt is wrong to have an ideal view of the world. That's where the mischief starts. That's where everything starts unravelling.
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If you decide to move to another country and to live within its laws you don't express your disregard for the essence of the culture. It's a form of aggression.
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One must always try to see the truth of a situation - it makes things universal.
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His ignorance seemed to widen with everything he read.
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I think when you see so many Hindu temples of the 10th century or earlier disfigured, defaced, you realise that something terrible happened. I feel the civilisation of that closed world was mortally wounded by those invasions the old world is destroyed. That has to be understood. Ancient Hindu India was destroyed.
V. S. NaipaulRead
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