Barbarism Quote by Catherynne M. Valente
“Someone ought to write a novel about me,” said Lebedeva loftily. “I shouldn’t care if they lied to make it more interesting, as long as they were good lies, full of kisses and daring escapes and the occasional act of barbarism. I can’t abide a poor liar.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente, 2011
A desire for a compelling story leads to tolerating falsehoods if they are vivid, daring, and imaginative, but not low‑quality deception.
In simple terms: Prefer bold, creative lies over cheap ones.
Key Takeaway
Value storytelling over truth when it enriches imagination.
Themes
creativity
storytelling
truth
imagination
Mood
playful
critical
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- role‑playing games
- film script development
- personal storytelling
- social media content creation
Key Concepts
mythmaking
narrative ethics
artistic license
Questions to Reflect On
- When is a fictional embellishment acceptable?
- How do you balance truth and artistic flair?
A Different Perspective
Even “good” lies can distort reality and trust.
![“To think, analyze and invent, he [Pierre Menard] also wrote me, “are not anomalous acts, but the normal respiration of the intelligence. To glorify the occasional fulfillment of this function, to treasure ancient thoughts of others, to remember with incredulous amazement that the doctor universal…” quote by Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd7/jorge-luis-borges-275_amazement_to-think-analyze-and-invent-he-pierre-me_1728957.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[Much] as war attracts me and fascinates my mind with its tremendous situations, I feel more deeply every year . . . what vile and wicked folly and barbarism it all is.” quote by Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e15/winston-churchill-95_barbarism_much-as-war-attracts-me-and-fascinates-m_68452.jpg)
