--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People think in narratives - in…" description: "\"People think in narratives - in beginnings, middles and ends. The danger when you edit something too severely is that it no longer makes sense; worse s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/errol-morris-2512_danger_people-think-in-narratives-in-beginnings_3035981.jpg" --- # People think in narratives - in beginnings, middles and… ![“People think in narratives - in beginnings, middles and ends. The danger when you edit something too severely is that it no longer makes sense; worse still, it leaves people with the disquieting impression that something is being hidden.” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/errol-morris-2512_danger_people-think-in-narratives-in-beginnings_3035981.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/errol-morris-2512_danger_people-think-in-narratives-in-beginnings_3035981.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9c/errol-morris-2512_danger_people-think-in-narratives-in-beginnings_3035981.jpg) > “People think in narratives - in beginnings, middles and ends. The danger when you edit something too severely is that it no longer makes sense; worse still, it leaves people with the disquieting impression that something is being hidden.” [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Narrative structure aids understanding, but over‑editing can obscure meaning and feel deceptive. **In simple terms:** Stories need flow, but too much editing hides truth. Key Takeaway Edit for clarity, not concealment. Themes storytelling editing transparency Mood analytical critical Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - film editing - writing workshops - documentary production Key Concepts narrative theory audience perception ethical editing Questions to Reflect On - When does editing become manipulation? - How can you preserve intent while refining? A Different Perspective Excessive cuts may alienate viewers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Edit Severely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edit-severely-4981557/) [Edits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edits/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impression/) [Make sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sense/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Narratives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narratives/) [Narratives Beginnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narratives-beginnings-4981558/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Think Narratives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-narratives-3275454/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think the narratives on 'Trans,' 'Plans,' and 'Narrow Stairs' moved away from the way I wrote on the first couple of records, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/i-think-the-narratives-on-trans-plans-and-narrow-stairs-moved-away/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [I think that through the narratives of other people you get closer to your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chath-piersath/i-think-that-through-the-narratives-of-other-people-you-get-closer-to/) [Chath Piersath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chath-piersath/) > [My role in the government was not to think about narratives and consistency with narratives, but think of the human consequences of rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/my-role-in-the-government-was-not-to-think-about-narratives-and/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [Confronting and undermining the narratives and ideas of extremism must therefore be one of our key tasks. To do this, we must retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-gahr-store/confronting-and-undermining-the-narratives-and-ideas-of-extremism/) [Jonas Gahr Store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-gahr-store/) > [“News organizations are coy about admitting that what they present us with each day are minuscule extracts of narratives whose true shape and logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/news-organizations-are-coy-about-admitting-that-what-they-present-us/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Throughout African-American literature, the writer has, in a sense, been burdened by the necessity of pleading the case for the whole race. For example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/throughout-african-american-literature-the-writer-has-in-a-sense-been/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [I was an English-literature major, and that's all about stories and narratives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-was-an-english-literature-major-and-that-s-all-about-stories-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [I think we all are born inside of our parents' narratives. We stay there for a good while. We are taught their narratives about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-febos/i-think-we-all-are-born-inside-of-our-parents-narratives-we-stay/) [Melissa Febos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-febos/) > [Narration is as much a part of human nature as breath and the circulation of the blood… storytelling is intrinsic to biological time, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/narration-is-as-much-a-part-of-human-nature-as-breath-and-the/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [We breathe, we think, we conceive of our lives as narratives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lehmann-haupt/we-breathe-we-think-we-conceive-of-our-lives-as-narratives/) [Christopher Lehmann-Haupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lehmann-haupt/) > [The religious imagery and fairytales that formed our shared cultural references have been replaced by the cult of celebrity. Marilyn is the sex goddess,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-jackson/the-religious-imagery-and-fairytales-that-formed-our-shared-cultural/) [Alison Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-jackson/) > [“When she smiles, the lines in her face become epic narratives that trace the stories of generations that no book can replace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/when-she-smiles-the-lines-in-her-face-become-epic-narratives-that/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [Narratives can be misconstrued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-poole/narratives-can-be-misconstrued/) [Jordan Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-poole/) > [“Our reflection of action occurs in different contexts which may influence us to shape our accounts in different ways for different audiences - our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqui-stedmon/our-reflection-of-action-occurs-in-different-contexts-which-may/) [Jacqui Stedmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqui-stedmon/) > [Extremist perspectives win sympathy and recruits because they offer narratives that claim to identify deep injustices and enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-gahr-store/extremist-perspectives-win-sympathy-and-recruits-because-they-offer/) [Jonas Gahr Store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-gahr-store/) ## More by Errol Morris > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [There is such a thing as truth, but we have a vested interest in not seeing it, in avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-such-a-thing-as-truth-but-we-have-a-vested-interest-in-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Simply coming to the perpetrator and delivering the message is Nozick's definition of revenge. And in that sense, Adi is exacting revenge. 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Why deny it? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-killers-is-one-of-my-real-passions-why-deny-it/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I envy certain writers, because there are writers who do go into a kind of different zone, where the writing isn't controlled anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-envy-certain-writers-because-there-are-writers-who-do-go-into-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Right now, we live in bad times in this country, and the fact that there are filmmakers addressing political and social issues is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/right-now-we-live-in-bad-times-in-this-country-and-the-fact-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The fact that the world is utterly insane makes it tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-fact-that-the-world-is-utterly-insane-makes-it-tolerable/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Appearing on the front page of the New York Times even given the state of papers today is still something that's seen by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/appearing-on-the-front-page-of-the-new-york-times-even-given-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can't tell by looking at a film-clip whether it is a drama or a documentary without knowing how it was produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-t-tell-by-looking-at-a-film-clip-whether-it-is-a-drama-or-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Tell me what's wrong with this idea: If you're selling to somebody, find someone like that person to sell to them. If you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/tell-me-what-s-wrong-with-this-idea-if-you-re-selling-to-somebody/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) [Explore all 163 Errol Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## More Danger quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“Anything you fear is a shackle to ur soul. 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No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“I’ll always come back to you,” he said. “Always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/i-ll-always-come-back-to-you-he-said-always/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. 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