---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth was the last thing on my mind, and…"
description: "\"“Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was such a thing, I didn't want it in my house. Oedipus went looking for the truth and when he ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg"
---

#  Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was…

![“Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was such a thing, I didn't want it in my house. Oedipus went looking for the truth and when he found it, it ruined him. It was a cruel horror of a joke. So much for the truth. I was gonna talk out of both sides of my mouth and what you heard…” quote by Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg)

> ““Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was such a thing, I didn't want it in my house. Oedipus went looking for the truth and when he found it, it ruined him. It was a cruel horror of a joke. So much for the truth. I was gonna talk out of both sides of my mouth and what you heard depended on which side you were standing. If I ever did stumble on any truth, I was gonna sit on it and keep it down.””

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker rejects truth, fearing its destructive power, and prefers to hide or manipulate it for personal convenience.

**In simple terms:** Avoid truth to prevent pain.

Key Takeaway

Hide inconvenient facts.

Themes

deception truth power avoidance

Mood

cynical defensive

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- political rhetoric
- media commentary
- self‑preservation

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What truth are you avoiding?
- How does hiding truth affect trust?

A Different Perspective

Truth can be necessary for growth and accountability.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Oedipus Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oedipus-went-1891001/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Stumble Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stumble-truth-341531/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Ruined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-ruined-1891002/) [Truth Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-thing-610682/)

## Related quotes

> [“Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was such a thing, I didn' t want it in my house.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and-even-if-there-was-such-a-2/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [“I must admit, it gives me some satisfaction that my life isn't the only one that was irrevocably altered by him and what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-pearl/i-must-admit-it-gives-me-some-satisfaction-that-my-life-isn-t-the/)

[Danielle Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-pearl/)

> [Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most times he will pick himself up and carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/man-will-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-times-he-will/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/we-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-of-us-pick-ourselves/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [“Men occassionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry on as if nothing had happened. -Sir Winston Churchill”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-price/men-occassionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-of-them-pick/)

[Steven D. Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-price/)

> [Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-will-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-usually-manages-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Once in a while we will stumble upon the truth, but most of us manage to pick ourselves up and hurry along as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/once-in-a-while-we-will-stumble-upon-the-truth-but-most-of-us-manage/)

[WINSTON CHURCHILL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [“Winston Churchill said that people “occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bungay-stanier/winston-churchill-said-that-people-occasionally-stumble-over-the/)

[Michael Bungay Stanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bungay-stanier/)

> [Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/men-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-of-them-pick-2/)

[Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/)

> [Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/men-occasionally-stumble-over-the-truth-but-most-of-them-pick/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Most people stumble over the truth, now and then, but they usually manage to pick themselves up and go on, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/most-people-stumble-over-the-truth-now-and-then-but-they-usually/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-stumble-over-the-truth-from-time-to-time-but-most-pick-themselves/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Men often stumble onto the truth but then quickly dust themselves off and hurry away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/men-often-stumble-onto-the-truth-but-then-quickly-dust-themselves-off/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [It is also certain that when we assent to some piece of reasoning when our perception of it is lacking, then either we go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/it-is-also-certain-that-when-we-assent-to-some-piece-of-reasoning/)

[Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/)

> [“Men sometimes stumble over the truth, but often pick themselves up and hurry off as though nothing had happened”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/men-sometimes-stumble-over-the-truth-but-often-pick-themselves-up-and/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

## More by Bob Dylan

> [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Don't forget to support your public library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/don-t-forget-to-support-your-public-library/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [You don't count the dead, when god's on your side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/you-don-t-count-the-dead-when-god-s-on-your-side/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [She makes love just like a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/she-makes-love-just-like-a-woman/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Silvio, I gotta go, find out something only dead men know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/silvio-i-gotta-go-find-out-something-only-dead-men-know/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [I don't really have a retirement plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-don-t-really-have-a-retirement-plan/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Just a reminder, if you tell anyone about what happened with Jonah last night, I'll destroy all of my writing and never play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/just-a-reminder-if-you-tell-anyone-about-what-happened-with-jonah/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Little red wagon, little red bike, I ain’t no monkey but I know what I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/little-red-wagon-little-red-bike-i-ain-t-no-monkey-but-i-know-what-i/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Twenty years of schooling and they put you on the day shift - look out out kid, they keep it all hid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/twenty-years-of-schooling-and-they-put-you-on-the-day-shift-look-out/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [The drunken politician leaps upon the street where mothers weep, and the saviors who are fast asleep, they wait for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-drunken-politician-leaps-upon-the-street-where-mothers-weep-and/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/your-eyes-are-like-two-jewels-in-the-sky/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [I gotta friend who spends his life, stabbing my picture with a bowie knife. Dreams of strangling me with a scarf, when my name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-gotta-friend-who-spends-his-life-stabbing-my-picture-with-a-bowie/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [She speaks with a stutter and she and she walks with a hop. I don't know why I love her, but I just can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/she-speaks-with-a-stutter-and-she-and-she-walks-with-a-hop-i-don-t/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [The man in the coon skin cap in the pig pen wants eleven dollar bills, you've only got ten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-man-in-the-coon-skin-cap-in-the-pig-pen-wants-eleven-dollar-bills/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Don't put my faith in nobody, not even a scientist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/don-t-put-my-faith-in-nobody-not-even-a-scientist/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

[Explore all 1,018 Bob Dylan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

## More Psychology quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/)

[Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/)

[Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [No!! Get out of my Head!...You may have invaded my mind and my body...But there's one thing a Saiyan always keeps...his PRIDE!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragon-ball-z/no-get-out-of-my-head-you-may-have-invaded-my-mind-and-my-body-but/)

[Dragon Ball Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragon-ball-z/)

[Browse all 56,059 Psychology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was such a thing, I didn't want it in my house. Oedipus went looking for the truth and when he found it, it ruined him. It was a cruel horror of a joke. So much for the truth. I was gonna talk out of both sides of my mouth and what you heard depended on which side you were standing. If I ever did stumble on any truth, I was gonna sit on it and keep it down.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bob Dylan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and-even-if-there-was-such-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Psychology"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and-even-if-there-was-such-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/bob-dylan-168_psychology_truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and_1144474.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Truth was the last thing on my mind, and even if there was such a thing, I didn't want it in my house…” — Bob Dylan",
                "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": "Bob Dylan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Truth was the last thing on...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and-even-if-there-was-such-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/truth-was-the-last-thing-on-my-mind-and-even-if-there-was-such-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
