Bible Quote by Elbert Hubbard
“Truth, in its struggles for recognition, passes through four distinct stages. First, we say it is damnable, dangerous, disorderly, and will surely disrupt society. Second, we declare it is heretical, infidelic and contrary to the Bible. Third, we say it is really a matter of no importance either one way or the other. Fourth, we aver that we have always upheld it and believed it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Four Stages of Truth", 1915
He outlines four societal reactions to truth: condemnation, heresy, indifference, then acceptance.
In simple terms: Society moves from rejecting truth to eventually embracing it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize truth’s evolving acceptance.
Themes
philosophy
culture
psychology
social change
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- debates
- policy making
- education reform
- media analysis
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
norms
historical cycles
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people initially reject uncomfortable truths?
- How can we accelerate acceptance of truth?
A Different Perspective
Truth may be distorted or ignored at each stage, limiting impact.
![“Truth is a mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, anthropomorphisms, in short a sum of human relations which have been subjected to poetic and rhetorical intensification, translation and decoration […]; truths are illusions of which we have forgotten that they are illusions, metaphors which have…” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/079/friedrich-nietzsche-15_anthropomorphism_truth-is-a-mobile-army-of-metaphors-meto_2293268.jpg)
