--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that the people who survive a…" description: "\"I believe that the people who survive a cataclysm, rather than those who stand by and analyze it, are nearly always the more credible witnesses to thei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/barbara-kingsolver-200_believe_i-believe-that-the-people-who-survive-a_1126048.jpg" --- # I believe that the people who survive a cataclysm, rather… ![“I believe that the people who survive a cataclysm, rather than those who stand by and analyze it, are nearly always the more credible witnesses to their own history.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/barbara-kingsolver-200_believe_i-believe-that-the-people-who-survive-a_1126048.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/barbara-kingsolver-200_believe_i-believe-that-the-people-who-survive-a_1126048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/121/barbara-kingsolver-200_believe_i-believe-that-the-people-who-survive-a_1126048.jpg) > “I believe that the people who survive a cataclysm, rather than those who stand by and analyze it, are nearly always the more credible witnesses to their own history.” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Survivors of disaster are more credible than distant analysts because they experience events firsthand. **In simple terms:** Survivors are more credible than observers. Key Takeaway Value lived experience over detached analysis. Themes history credibility survival memory Mood reflective serious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - disaster response - historical research - personal memoirs - journalism Key Concepts Narrative truth subjective experience witness testimony Questions to Reflect On - How does personal trauma shape one’s recollection? - Can distance ever fully capture a crisis? A Different Perspective Survivors may be biased or traumatized, affecting objectivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Credible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credible/) [Credible Witnesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credible-witnesses-2387771/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [Nearly Credible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nearly-credible-3070039/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Witness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witness/) [Witnesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witnesses/) [Witnesses History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witnesses-history-775596/) ## Related quotes > [Songs are often written by people who are witnesses to history,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nethercutt/songs-are-often-written-by-people-who-are-witnesses-to-history/) [George Nethercutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nethercutt/) > [PROOF, n. Evidence having a shade more of plausibility than of unlikelihood. The testimony of two credible witnesses as opposed to that of only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/proof-n-evidence-having-a-shade-more-of-plausibility-than-of/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I've talked with people of stature-of military and government credentials and position-and heard their stories, and their desire to tell their stories openly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/i-ve-talked-with-people-of-stature-of-military-and-government/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I suppose, in the end, we journalists try - or should try - to be the first impartial witnesses of history. If we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-suppose-in-the-end-we-journalists-try-or-should-try-to-be-the-first/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [They've got him - credible witnesses, documents, heaven knows what else. 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They are there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-parkhurst/the-conclusion-i-have-reached-is-that-above-all-dogs-are-witnesses/) [Carolyn Parkhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-parkhurst/) > [The great number of the Jews furnishes us with a sufficient cloud of witnesses that attest the truth of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-great-number-of-the-jews-furnishes-us-with-a-sufficient-cloud-of/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I cannot but be astonished that Sarsi should persist in trying to prove by means of witnesses something that I may see for myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/i-cannot-but-be-astonished-that-sarsi-should-persist-in-trying-to/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [The New Testament witnesses were fully aware of the background against which the resurrection took place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/the-new-testament-witnesses-were-fully-aware-of-the-background/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [“We therefore need to be patient with ourselves, and look upon our sense of guilt as Witnesses!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-m-wanderer/we-therefore-need-to-be-patient-with-ourselves-and-look-upon-our/) [Frank M. Wanderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-m-wanderer/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. 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He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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