--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first 20 stories written about a…" description: "\"The first 20 stories written about a public figure set the tone for the next 2,000 and it is almost impossible to reverse it.\" — Charles Colson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/charles-colson-7127_figure-skating_the-first-20-stories-written-about-a-pub_1842344.jpg" --- # The first 20 stories written about a public figure set the… ![“The first 20 stories written about a public figure set the tone for the next 2,000 and it is almost impossible to reverse it.” quote by Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/charles-colson-7127_figure-skating_the-first-20-stories-written-about-a-pub_1842344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/charles-colson-7127_figure-skating_the-first-20-stories-written-about-a-pub_1842344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/charles-colson-7127_figure-skating_the-first-20-stories-written-about-a-pub_1842344.jpg) > “The first 20 stories written about a public figure set the tone for the next 2,000 and it is almost impossible to reverse it.” [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early narratives about a public figure shape lasting public perception, making later correction difficult. **In simple terms:** First stories set lasting tone. Key Takeaway Shape early narratives carefully. Themes media reputation influence Mood cautious reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - political campaigns - celebrity branding - historical biographies Key Concepts narrative framing public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can later stories reshape a legacy? - What mechanisms can counteract early bias? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched narratives can be slow and meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Figure skating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figure-skating/) [Public figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-figure/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Tone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [In old days books were written by men of letters and read by the public. 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Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-a-whitney/) > [Good stories are not written by people who live in a city of dirty strip malls, forced to listen to the machinated opinions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-antle/good-stories-are-not-written-by-people-who-live-in-a-city-of-dirty/) Spencer Antle > [“… I went back to the stories people wrote about Him. It was mostly crazy stories written by people who called themselves Matthew, Mark,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tebby-germaine/i-went-back-to-the-stories-people-wrote-about-him-it-was-mostly-crazy/) [Elizabeth Tebby Germaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-tebby-germaine/) > [In writing ... remember that the biggest stories are not written about wars, or about politics, or even murders. The biggest stories are written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/in-writing-remember-that-the-biggest-stories-are-not-written-about/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [“Some stories have to be written because no one would believe the absurdity of it all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/some-stories-have-to-be-written-because-no-one-would-believe-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [You mean old books?" "Stories written before space travel but about space travel." "How could there have been stories about space travel before --"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-mean-old-books-stories-written-before-space-travel-but-about/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“Nobody’s story is written only by himself. In our story, we can always find the stories written by others!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/nobody-s-story-is-written-only-by-himself-in-our-story-we-can-always/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [For all the books in his possession, he still failed to read the stories written plain as day in the faces of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/for-all-the-books-in-his-possession-he-still-failed-to-read-the/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“You are not a mistake nor an accident. You are a universe wrapped in skin carrying stories yet to be written.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rexson/you-are-not-a-mistake-nor-an-accident-you-are-a-universe-wrapped-in/) John Rexson ## More by Charles Colson > [People who reject transcendent authority can no longer persuade one another through rational arguments; everything is reduced to personal opinion. 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We have become a post-Christian society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/if-the-polls-are-right-our-judeo-christian-heritage-is-no-longer-the/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Moral crusaders with zeal but no ethical understanding are likely to give us solutions that are worse than the problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/moral-crusaders-with-zeal-but-no-ethical-understanding-are-likely-to/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Lenin, Stalin, and Rakosi recognized that a renewed and purified Christianity was the only force that could move the masses as powerfully as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/lenin-stalin-and-rakosi-recognized-that-a-renewed-and-purified/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Frontline love. 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It is the one institution of which Jesus promised that the gates of hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/the-church-is-the-only-institution-supernaturally-endowed-by-god-it/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Why, I wondered, is there such hostility to one faith in this Hindu culture that believes all roads lead to heaven? They should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/why-i-wondered-is-there-such-hostility-to-one-faith-in-this-hindu/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [I was deepening my understanding of what we call the cultural commission, the command to take dominion and bring righteousness to our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/i-was-deepening-my-understanding-of-what-we-call-the-cultural/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Christians should never have a political party. It is a huge mistake to become married to an ideology, because the greatest enemy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/christians-should-never-have-a-political-party-it-is-a-huge-mistake/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [But all at once I realized that it was not my success God had used to enable me to help those in this prison,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/but-all-at-once-i-realized-that-it-was-not-my-success-god-had-used-to/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Christians need to take the lead in educating people that children are gifts, as my autistic grandson most surely is. By going down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/christians-need-to-take-the-lead-in-educating-people-that-children/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) [Explore all 94 Charles Colson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) ## More Figure skating quotes > [I think skating helped me find myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/i-think-skating-helped-me-find-myself/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [That's really what science is just trying to figure stuff out, and I like figuring stuff out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-really-what-science-is-just-trying-to-figure-stuff-out-and-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I decided to host my show 'Kiss and Cry' hoping that people actually want to participate and feel more familiar with figure skating. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuna-kim/i-decided-to-host-my-show-kiss-and-cry-hoping-that-people-actually/) [Yuna Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuna-kim/) > [Figure skating is theatrical, and a part of it is wearing costumes. My costumes were very over-the-top and outrageous for figure skating. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/figure-skating-is-theatrical-and-a-part-of-it-is-wearing-costumes-my/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [An athlete gains so much knowledge by just participating in a sport. Focus, discipline, hard work, goal setting and, of course, the thrill of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-yamaguchi/an-athlete-gains-so-much-knowledge-by-just-participating-in-a-sport/) [Kristi Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-yamaguchi/) > [“O wayfarer! Yearn finds quench, not in meadows, seashores or altitude of mountain peaks; but when being and dance are one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/o-wayfarer-yearn-finds-quench-not-in-meadows-seashores-or-altitude-of/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“If movements were a spark every dancer would desire to light up in flames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/if-movements-were-a-spark-every-dancer-would-desire-to-light-up-in/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“Burdened no more is soul for whom life flows through dance like breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/burdened-no-more-is-soul-for-whom-life-flows-through-dance-like-breath/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [I've always enjoyed performing. I was in figure skating before, and then I joined my first school play. Ever since that, you have not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-bobadilla/i-ve-always-enjoyed-performing-i-was-in-figure-skating-before-and/) [Daniela Bobadilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-bobadilla/) > [“Dance as the narration of a magical story; that recites on lips, illuminates imaginations and embraces the most sacred depths of souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/dance-as-the-narration-of-a-magical-story-that-recites-on-lips/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [I'm higher than I expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronik-mallet/i-m-higher-than-i-expected/) Veronik Mallet > [I am an American man, and in America, we still think of figure skaters as little girls in pretty, sparkly dresses - I worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-am-an-american-man-and-in-america-we-still-think-of-figure-skaters/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [High sticking, tripping, slashing, spearing, charging, hooking, fighting, unsportsmanlike conduct, interference, roughing…everything else is just figure skating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-bowman/high-sticking-tripping-slashing-spearing-charging-hooking-fighting/) [Scotty Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-bowman/) > [My mother introduced me to many different things, and figure skating was one of them. 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