--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact is we can only love what we know…" description: "\"The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/e-m-forster-1118_civilization_the-fact-is-we-can-only-love-what-we-kno_2789398.png" --- # The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And… ![“The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.” quote by E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/e-m-forster-1118_civilization_the-fact-is-we-can-only-love-what-we-kno_2789398.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/e-m-forster-1118_civilization_the-fact-is-we-can-only-love-what-we-kno_2789398.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/e-m-forster-1118_civilization_the-fact-is-we-can-only-love-what-we-kno_2789398.png) > “The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.” [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We can only love what we know personally; thus, tolerance is needed in public affairs and rebuilding civilization. **In simple terms:** Love is limited to personal knowledge; tolerance is essential for society. Key Takeaway Practice tolerance beyond personal circles. Themes love knowledge tolerance Mood reflective serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - politics - community projects - education Key Concepts philosophy social theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we extend empathy? - What limits tolerance? A Different Perspective Tolerance alone may not resolve deep conflicts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-dramatic-3368621/) [Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Know Personally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-personally-299675/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-tolerance-3368622/) [Only love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only-love/) [Public affairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-affairs/) [Rebuilding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebuilding/) [Rebuilding Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebuilding-civilization-3368623/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) ## Related quotes > [We can only love what we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-letitia-barbauld/we-can-only-love-what-we-know/) [Anna Letitia Barbauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-letitia-barbauld/) > [People can say anything they want. Unless they know you PERSONALLY. Please don't take it personal. Opinions are not facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamera-mowry/people-can-say-anything-they-want-unless-they-know-you-personally/) [Tamera Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamera-mowry/) > [You don't need to know someone personally to be able to discern whether their work is high quality or not. The idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/you-don-t-need-to-know-someone-personally-to-be-able-to-discern/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [As much as I can, I like to curate the information the people know personally about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harbour/as-much-as-i-can-i-like-to-curate-the-information-the-people-know/) [David Harbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harbour/) > [Love is a great force in private life; it is indeed the greatest of all things; but love in public affairs does not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/love-is-a-great-force-in-private-life-it-is-indeed-the-greatest-of/) [E. M. 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The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/politics-a-strife-of-interests-masquerading-as-a-contest-of/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [When we speak freely, let us speak plainly, for plain speech is wholesome; especially, plain speech about public affairs and public men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/when-we-speak-freely-let-us-speak-plainly-for-plain-speech-is/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [No man should ever lose sleep over public affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-macmillan/no-man-should-ever-lose-sleep-over-public-affairs/) [Harold MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-macmillan/) ## More by E. M. Forster > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. 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She erected tariff walls, broke treaties, persecuted minorities, obstructed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/before-the-civil-war-pottibakia-was-a-normal-member-of-the-comity-of/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Chess is a forcing house where the fruits of character can ripen more fully than in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/chess-is-a-forcing-house-where-the-fruits-of-character-can-ripen-more/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [I distrust Great Men... I believe in aristocracy, though... Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/i-distrust-great-men-i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-its-members-are/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Liking one person is an extra reason for liking another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/liking-one-person-is-an-extra-reason-for-liking-another/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [We are not concerned with the very poor. They are unthinkable, and only to be approached by the statistician or the poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/we-are-not-concerned-with-the-very-poor-they-are-unthinkable-and-only/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) [Explore all 287 E. M. Forster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) ## More Civilization quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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