--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are content to live in…" description: "\"People are content to live in contradictory worlds, so long as they know the reason for each.\" — Alan Lightman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/alan-lightman-2270_contradictory_people-are-content-to-live-in-contradict_2785309.png" --- # People are content to live in contradictory worlds, so… ![“People are content to live in contradictory worlds, so long as they know the reason for each.” quote by Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/alan-lightman-2270_contradictory_people-are-content-to-live-in-contradict_2785309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/alan-lightman-2270_contradictory_people-are-content-to-live-in-contradict_2785309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96f/alan-lightman-2270_contradictory_people-are-content-to-live-in-contradict_2785309.png) > “People are content to live in contradictory worlds, so long as they know the reason for each.” [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People accept contradictory realities if they have a reason for each, allowing coexistence of opposing views. **In simple terms:** People live with contradictions when justified. Key Takeaway Seek reasons behind opposing beliefs. Themes contradiction reason acceptance Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - political debate - personal dilemmas - cultural differences Key Concepts cognitive dissonance pluralism contextual truth Questions to Reflect On - Why do you accept contradictory ideas? - When does contradiction become harmful? A Different Perspective Reason may be self‑deceptive; contradictions can cause conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory/) [Contradictory Worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory-worlds-3339558/) [Know Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-reason-608226/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Live Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-contradictory-3339559/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Content](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-content-545685/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“There are people who are never content, never appeased, forever dissatisfied—who continually look to what escapes them, convincing themselves that if only they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/there-are-people-who-are-never-content-never-appeased-forever/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [We can't edit people's content. We have to give them a platform to express themselves, and if they say something that the government doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/we-can-t-edit-people-s-content-we-have-to-give-them-a-platform-to/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [I'm good with telling people what I think, too, but I don't know why people are so content to treat each other poorly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/i-m-good-with-telling-people-what-i-think-too-but-i-don-t-know-why/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [Because of social media being such a marketable format, things are constantly being released, so people don't pay as much attention because they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-gilbert/because-of-social-media-being-such-a-marketable-format-things-are/) [Chad Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-gilbert/) > [Some people are never content with their lot, let what will happen. 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She needs but one true companion, one soul mate with whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-alice-monroe/a-woman-does-not-need-to-live-among-many-people-to-be-content-she/) [Mary Alice Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-alice-monroe/) > [The most certain mode of making people content with us is to make them content with themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/the-most-certain-mode-of-making-people-content-with-us-is-to-make/) [Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/) > [People can only be content when there is enough food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/momofuku-ando/people-can-only-be-content-when-there-is-enough-food/) [Momofuku Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/momofuku-ando/) > [A lot of people out there are not content with their life, but I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/a-lot-of-people-out-there-are-not-content-with-their-life-but-i-am/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I was a Scientologist before I was an actress, and I've always felt people are not only content with whatever religion I have, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstie-alley/i-was-a-scientologist-before-i-was-an-actress-and-i-ve-always-felt/) [Kirstie Alley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirstie-alley/) > [“The world has room for many people who are content to live as humans, but only for a relative few intent upon living as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-world-has-room-for-many-people-who-are-content-to-live-as-humans/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I am my own competition. 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Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“I've decided that has been the great achievement of our age: to so thoroughly flood the planet with megabits that every image and fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-ve-decided-that-has-been-the-great-achievement-of-our-age-to-so/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Every reader gets something different from a book and every reader, in a sense, completes it in a different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/every-reader-gets-something-different-from-a-book-and-every-reader-in/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > ["The Diagnosis" is by far my most ambitious book. 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Writers don't see each other very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/writers-are-a-loosely-knit-community-community-is-an-overstated-word/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Imagine a world in which there is no time. Only images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/imagine-a-world-in-which-there-is-no-time-only-images/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Time is the clarity for seeing right and wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/time-is-the-clarity-for-seeing-right-and-wrong/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [In this world, time has three dimensions, like space. 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So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/strong-men-don-t-compromise-it-is-said-and-principles-should-never-be/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Ruth and I don't have a perfect marriage, but we have a great one. How can I say two things that seem so contradictory?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/ruth-and-i-don-t-have-a-perfect-marriage-but-we-have-a-great-one-how/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“Away from Lev, she craves his need for her. When with him, it enervates. Why is that? She cannot help it. Nothing to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/away-from-lev-she-craves-his-need-for-her-when-with-him-it-enervates/) [Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/) > [“Throughout my life, I have always felt torn between my dual contradictory natures. I'm the obedient daughter and devoted friend, but also a self-destructive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-schein/throughout-my-life-i-have-always-felt-torn-between-my-dual/) [Elyse Schein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-schein/) > [When faced with a loss, it is no use trying to recover what has gone. 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