--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're always just telling stories, and…" description: "\"We're always just telling stories, and stories are always just approximations of the truth. It's never the truth exactly.\" — Brit Marling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png" --- # We're always just telling stories, and stories are always… ![“We're always just telling stories, and stories are always just approximations of the truth. It's never the truth exactly.” quote by Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png) > “We're always just telling stories, and stories are always just approximations of the truth. It's never the truth exactly.” [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories are imperfect approximations of truth; they never capture reality exactly. **In simple terms:** Stories are close but not exact truths. Key Takeaway Value stories while seeking deeper truth. Themes media truth storytelling perception Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - journalism - film - education - personal anecdotes - historical accounts Key Concepts narrative theory epistemology subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern truth within narratives? - When is a story more useful than factual detail? A Different Perspective Stories can still convey essential truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-just-372075/) [Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling/) [Telling stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-stories/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-exactly-327453/) [Truth Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-truth-251801/) ## Related quotes > [In my family, telling stories is just a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/in-my-family-telling-stories-is-just-a-way-of-life/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [I stand 100 percent by the truth, exactly what happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-canseco/i-stand-100-percent-by-the-truth-exactly-what-happened/) [Jose Canseco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-canseco/) > [... the truth is exactly that which can't be got into words. We are forced to lie, a little or, if we are inferior, much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/the-truth-is-exactly-that-which-can-t-be-got-into-words-we-are-forced/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [That's absolutely the truth, and that is exactly what the Pleiadians say, that we are going through what we would have done after we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mccormick-day/that-s-absolutely-the-truth-and-that-is-exactly-what-the-pleiadians/) [Christine McCormick Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mccormick-day/) > [There is no truth except the truth that exists within you. Everything else is what someone is telling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/there-is-no-truth-except-the-truth-that-exists-within-you-everything/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [It sounds trite, but I like telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/it-sounds-trite-but-i-like-telling-stories/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [Writing is solitary. You spend so much time alone and in your own mind, telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/writing-is-solitary-you-spend-so-much-time-alone-and-in-your-own-mind/) [Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/) > [Well, acting itself is a form of rebellion, always. Getting up there in front of people, telling stories - you're kind of going against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/well-acting-itself-is-a-form-of-rebellion-always-getting-up-there-in/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Playing with different genres and perspectives and ways of telling stories is one of the perks of being a novelist, but at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linn-ullmann/playing-with-different-genres-and-perspectives-and-ways-of-telling/) [Linn Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linn-ullmann/) > [Everyone has their own way of telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/everyone-has-their-own-way-of-telling-stories/) [Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/) > [When I was 20, I used to go around telling stories, and I knew where I was comfortable - onstage, talking, making 'em laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/when-i-was-20-i-used-to-go-around-telling-stories-and-i-knew-where-i/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [I just I love telling stories and as long as I can make my living doing that in all the different mediums that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buffalo-mailer/i-just-i-love-telling-stories-and-as-long-as-i-can-make-my-living/) [John Buffalo Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buffalo-mailer/) > [Manchester Youth theater, then the National Student Theater Company, and later, my degree course, all helped form my love of telling stories and directing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chadwick/manchester-youth-theater-then-the-national-student-theater-company/) [Justin Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chadwick/) > [“I am not trying to make a point by telling stories. Chosen examples are never serious evidence for any worthwhile generalization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-am-not-trying-to-make-a-point-by-telling-stories-chosen-examples/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I love telling stories. You know why I love it? Because people love listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lidia-bastianich/i-love-telling-stories-you-know-why-i-love-it-because-people-love/) [Lidia Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lidia-bastianich/) ## More by Brit Marling > [The litmus test for whether I want to take on a role or not is usually fear. If I'm afraid of it, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/the-litmus-test-for-whether-i-want-to-take-on-a-role-or-not-is/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [Maybe the best definition of what a great partnership or great love is when people make each other grow in a better direction than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/maybe-the-best-definition-of-what-a-great-partnership-or-great-love/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [It doesn't happen all the time, but in the moments where you really lose yourself and you fall into this character, it's like time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/it-doesn-t-happen-all-the-time-but-in-the-moments-where-you-really/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I used to be able to sit in a chair and for four hours straight in a very focused meditative way be in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-used-to-be-able-to-sit-in-a-chair-and-for-four-hours-straight-in-a/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I never want to repeat the same thing. I always want it to be different from what I've done, and to be not quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-never-want-to-repeat-the-same-thing-i-always-want-it-to-be/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I think we're in this exciting moment of Internet streaming storytelling, and it's anybody's guess what that is or what it means. It can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-think-we-re-in-this-exciting-moment-of-internet-streaming/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I think there is a general unrest or curiosity about what a human future is going to be like, and whether the way we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-think-there-is-a-general-unrest-or-curiosity-about-what-a-human/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [Once you play with these scenes and you're outlining it, again and again, and telling each other the narrative, and telling it to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/once-you-play-with-these-scenes-and-you-re-outlining-it-again-and/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [So much of the world is being brought up on these stories that Hollywood is coming up with and exporting all over. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/so-much-of-the-world-is-being-brought-up-on-these-stories-that/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I think sometimes big budget means explosions! CGI! CGI, the possibilities are so limitless that it begins to be impractical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-think-sometimes-big-budget-means-explosions-cgi-cgi-the/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I'm really into rocks. I have a really serious rock collection. Rocks and feathers and shells and strange found things in nature. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-m-really-into-rocks-i-have-a-really-serious-rock-collection-rocks/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [Human beings are flawed and complicated and messy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/human-beings-are-flawed-and-complicated-and-messy/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I think I am looking as an actor to find ways to push myself into places I haven't been before as a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-think-i-am-looking-as-an-actor-to-find-ways-to-push-myself-into/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I think one thing for sure that you learn the more films that you make is how important it is to choose your collaborators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-think-one-thing-for-sure-that-you-learn-the-more-films-that-you/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [I always feel like the editing room is like coming into the kitchen. What kind of a meal do you make from there? It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-always-feel-like-the-editing-room-is-like-coming-into-the-kitchen/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) [Explore all 89 Brit Marling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're always just telling stories, and stories are always just approximations of the truth. It's never the truth exactly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brit Marling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-stories-are-always-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-stories-are-always-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/brit-marling-7629_always_we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-st_3030050.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're always just telling stories, and stories are always just approximations of the truth. It's never the…” — Brit Marling", "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": "Brit Marling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're always just telling stories, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-stories-are-always-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/we-re-always-just-telling-stories-and-stories-are-always-just/#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 } } ] } ```