--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth is so good a thing that falsehood…" description: "\"Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to be without it.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg" --- # Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to… ![“Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to be without it.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg) > “Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to be without it.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth is so valuable that falsehood cannot exist without it. **In simple terms:** Truth is essential; lies need it. Key Takeaway Seek truth, recognize its necessity. Themes truth falsehood value Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - law - science - personal ethics Key Concepts philosophy logic Questions to Reflect On - Why do we cling to falsehoods? - How does truth empower society? A Different Perspective Truth can be suppressed or ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [To copy the truth can be a good thing, but to invent the truth is better, much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-verdi/to-copy-the-truth-can-be-a-good-thing-but-to-invent-the-truth-is/) [Giuseppe Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-verdi/) > [PREHISTORIC, adj. Belonging to an early period and a museum. Antedating the art and practice of perpetuating falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/prehistoric-adj-belonging-to-an-early-period-and-a-museum-antedating/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Truth and falsehood are opposed; but truth is the norm not of truth only but of falsehood also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/truth-and-falsehood-are-opposed-but-truth-is-the-norm-not-of-truth/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The ultimate truth is penultimately always a falsehood. He who will be proved right in the end appears to be wrong and harmful before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-ultimate-truth-is-penultimately-always-a-falsehood-he-who-will-be/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [This is what I do know: A lie, however well-intended, can't prepare you for reality or change the world... To tell the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/this-is-what-i-do-know-a-lie-however-well-intended-can-t-prepare-you/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [My friend, the truth is always implausible, did you know that? To make the truth more plausible, it's absolutely necessary to mix a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-friend-the-truth-is-always-implausible-did-you-know-that-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you told the truth, that was all well and good and if you told the un-truth, well, that's still well and good. Folk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/if-you-told-the-truth-that-was-all-well-and-good-and-if-you-told-the/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“There is a lie that acts like a virus within the mind of humanity. And that lie is, ‘There’s not enough good to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/there-is-a-lie-that-acts-like-a-virus-within-the-mind-of-humanity-and/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [Cultivate truth, good faith, experience, cleverness, sociability, and industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-of-mytilene/cultivate-truth-good-faith-experience-cleverness-sociability-and/) [Pittacus of Mytilene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-of-mytilene/) > [The only thing more important than being good is being real. Authenticity is kinder than resignation without conviction. Truth leads to good faster than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/the-only-thing-more-important-than-being-good-is-being-real/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [I'd rather be told the truth than a good lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-pham/i-d-rather-be-told-the-truth-than-a-good-lie/) [Tommy Pham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-pham/) > [A true friend should be able to tell you the truth,good or bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queenstar-love/a-true-friend-should-be-able-to-tell-you-the-truth-good-or-bad/) [Queenstar Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queenstar-love/) > [“If there is a God and future life, there is truth and good, and man's highest happiness consists in striving to attain them. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-there-is-a-god-and-future-life-there-is-truth-and-good-and-man-s/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The first ingredient in conversation is truth, the next good sense, the third good humor, and the fourth wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/the-first-ingredient-in-conversation-is-truth-the-next-good-sense-the/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Can not quotes > [Our beliefs are like the unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, what we can and can not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/our-beliefs-are-like-the-unquestioned-commands-telling-us-how-things/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [… Our lives are made in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists & turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/our-lives-are-made-in-these-small-hours-these-little-wonders-these/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [ He \[Moliere\] pleases all the world, but cannot please himself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/he-moliere-pleases-all-the-world-but-cannot-please-himself/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. Surely they can not separate from our consciousness, shall follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/our-great-thoughts-our-great-affections-the-truths-of-our-life-never/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [You can not kill that which is already dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-undertaker/you-can-not-kill-that-which-is-already-dead/) [The Undertaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-undertaker/) > [Yes I try to do everything I can not to fail hideously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-balaban/yes-i-try-to-do-everything-i-can-not-to-fail-hideously/) [Bob Balaban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-balaban/) > [You can not have significance in this life if it is all about you. You get your significance, you find your joy in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/you-can-not-have-significance-in-this-life-if-it-is-all-about-you-you/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [If we are true to ourselves, we can not be false to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-we-are-true-to-ourselves-we-can-not-be-false-to-anyone/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If I can not dance, I shall die!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-pavlova/if-i-can-not-dance-i-shall-die/) [Anna Pavlova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-pavlova/) > [I have looked at so many photographs, I can not see them anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heizer/i-have-looked-at-so-many-photographs-i-can-not-see-them-anymore/) [Michael Heizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-heizer/) > [I think that freely available software can not only keep up with the evolution of commercial software, but often exceed what you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-think-that-freely-available-software-can-not-only-keep-up-with-the/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason and intuition that can not be defined but is only to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/hinduism-is-not-just-a-faith-it-is-the-union-of-reason-and-intuition/) [Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/) > [Whether or not storms come, we can not choose. But where we stare during a storm, that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/whether-or-not-storms-come-we-can-not-choose-but-where-we-stare/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [All earth's full rivers can not fillThe sea that drinking thirsteth still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-rossetti/all-earth-s-full-rivers-can-not-fillthe-sea-that-drinking-thirsteth/) [Christina Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-rossetti/) > [Nations are beginning to look to some vague organization, some nebulous course of humanity, to pay their bills and tell them what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/nations-are-beginning-to-look-to-some-vague-organization-some/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) Browse all 567 Can not quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to be without it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ambrose Bierce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood-can-not-afford-to-be-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can not" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood-can-not-afford-to-be-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/ambrose-bierce-140_can-not_truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood_1968991.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Truth is so good a thing that falsehood can not afford to be without it.” — Ambrose Bierce", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ambrose Bierce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Truth is so good a thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood-can-not-afford-to-be-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/truth-is-so-good-a-thing-that-falsehood-can-not-afford-to-be-without/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```