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Truth is always the enemy of power. And power the enemy of truth.
Edward Abbey
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Truth and power are in constant conflict, each undermining the other.

This quote by Edward Abbey suggests a fundamental tension between truth and power. It implies that those in power often distort or suppress the truth to maintain their dominance, while the pursuit of truth can undermine established powers. Abbey's perspective highlights the ethical dilemmas faced when truth confronts authority, emphasizing the necessity for integrity and honesty in the face of coercive forces.

Themes

TruthPowerConflictAuthorityHonesty

In practice

Example use cases

In a political debate, one might quote Abbey to highlight the tensions between politicians' statements and their underlying truth.

More from Edward Abbey

Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
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I love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
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If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
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The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
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I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
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Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Edward AbbeyRead

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