--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A fact was the hard outer cover of…" description: "\"A fact was the hard outer cover of meaning, and meaning was the soft living stuff inside a fact. Fact and meaning were the driving cogs of living. If t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/110/fynn-29517_cogs_a-fact-was-the-hard-outer-cover-of-meani_2080967.jpg" --- # A fact was the hard outer cover of meaning, and meaning… ![“A fact was the hard outer cover of meaning, and meaning was the soft living stuff inside a fact. Fact and meaning were the driving cogs of living. If the gear of fact drove the gear of meaning, then they revolved in opposite directions, but put the gear of fantasy between the two and they both…” quote by Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/110/fynn-29517_cogs_a-fact-was-the-hard-outer-cover-of-meani_2080967.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/110/fynn-29517_cogs_a-fact-was-the-hard-outer-cover-of-meani_2080967.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/110/fynn-29517_cogs_a-fact-was-the-hard-outer-cover-of-meani_2080967.jpg) > “A fact was the hard outer cover of meaning, and meaning was the soft living stuff inside a fact. Fact and meaning were the driving cogs of living. If the gear of fact drove the gear of meaning, then they revolved in opposite directions, but put the gear of fantasy between the two and they both revolved in the same direction. Fantasy was and is important; it leads to heaven knows where, but follow it and see. Sometimes it pays off.” [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facts and meaning are opposing forces; inserting fantasy aligns them, allowing both to move forward together. **In simple terms:** Facts oppose meaning; fantasy bridges them. Key Takeaway Use imagination to connect facts and meaning. Themes creativity philosophy balance Mood inquisitive inspirational Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - education - writing - problem solving Key Concepts dialectics conceptual integration Questions to Reflect On - How does imagination help you understand facts? - When might fantasy mislead you? A Different Perspective Fantasy can distort reality if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cogs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cogs/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) ## Related quotes > [Fact fact fact…lolz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priya/fact-fact-fact-lolz/) [Priya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priya/) > [If a fact does not modify your logic on being known, either you don't believe the fact or it is not a fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/if-a-fact-does-not-modify-your-logic-on-being-known-either-you-don-t/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [Fact is always fact...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirgha-tamang/fact-is-always-fact/) [Dirgha Tamang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirgha-tamang/) > [“There is some fiction, in all fact; and some fact, in all fiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-scott-mcleod/there-is-some-fiction-in-all-fact-and-some-fact-in-all-fiction/) [T. Scott McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-scott-mcleod/) > [Fact, fact, fact! You are destined for greatness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-michael-mccain/fact-fact-fact-you-are-destined-for-greatness/) [Dr Michael McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-michael-mccain/) > ['Facts, facts, facts,' cries the scientist if he wants to emphasize the necessity of a firm foundation for science. What is a fact? A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottlob-frege/facts-facts-facts-cries-the-scientist-if-he-wants-to-emphasize-the/) [Gottlob Frege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottlob-frege/) > [“A fact is a fact. Whether or not one chooses to believe it is irrelevant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathryn-louis/a-fact-is-a-fact-whether-or-not-one-chooses-to-believe-it-is/) [Cathryn Louis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathryn-louis/) > [“Opinion is never a fact. And fact is never a truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/opinion-is-never-a-fact-and-fact-is-never-a-truth/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The reflection of a fact is in itself a fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-reflection-of-a-fact-is-in-itself-a-fact/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [What is believed to be a fact is only a fact until another fact supersedes it. Science is only a fashion. Nothing more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/what-is-believed-to-be-a-fact-is-only-a-fact-until-another-fact/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [We talked through Gillie's life from start to finish, including all her accomplishments and major life events. The woman fell asleep with a dreamy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/we-talked-through-gillie-s-life-from-start-to-finish-including-all/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [Compelling characters are not cogs in the machine of your plot; they are human beings to whom the story happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corbett/compelling-characters-are-not-cogs-in-the-machine-of-your-plot-they/) [David Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corbett/) > [“By now you must have guessed: I come from another planet. But I will never say to you, Take me to your leaders. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/by-now-you-must-have-guessed-i-come-from-another-planet-but-i-will/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Human beings were behaving as human beings and not as cogs in the capitalist machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/human-beings-were-behaving-as-human-beings-and-not-as-cogs-in-the/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continual-balancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) ## More by Fynn > [“The difference from a person and an angel is easy. Most of an angel is in the inside and most of a person is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/the-difference-from-a-person-and-an-angel-is-easy-most-of-an-angel-is/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [I suppose that the human mind can only stand so much grief and anguish. After that the fuses blow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/i-suppose-that-the-human-mind-can-only-stand-so-much-grief-and/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“Mister God made everything, didn’t he?” There was no point in saying I didn’t really know. I said “Yes.” “Even the dirt and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/mister-god-made-everything-didn-t-he-there-was-no-point-in-saying-i/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [And God said love me, love them, and love it, and don't forget to love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/and-god-said-love-me-love-them-and-love-it-and-don-t-forget-to-love/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“Some people collect stamps or beer mats; Mum collected waifs and strays, cats, dogs, frogs, people, and as she believed, a whole host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/some-people-collect-stamps-or-beer-mats-mum-collected-waifs-and/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“In here was the image of God. It isn't the devil in humanity that makes man a lonely creature, it's his God-likeness. 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I'd be just me, wouldn't I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/if-i-was-the-only-one-i-wouldn-t-be-littler-or-bigger-would-i-i-d-be/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“I was nineteen at the time, prowling the streets and alleys with my usual supply of hot dogs, the street lights with their foggy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/i-was-nineteen-at-the-time-prowling-the-streets-and-alleys-with-my/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“So very many times over the next three years i heard her laughter - no silver bells or sweet rippling sounds was her laughter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/so-very-many-times-over-the-next-three-years-i-heard-her-laughter-no/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“For all her few years, I saw her then as I see her now, the sanest, the most uncluttered and the most direct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/for-all-her-few-years-i-saw-her-then-as-i-see-her-now-the-sanest-the/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“After it had all been explained to me, my first thought was for poor old Mohammed. He had to go to the mountains, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/after-it-had-all-been-explained-to-me-my-first-thought-was-for-poor/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) > [“Anna had bypassed all the nonessentials and distilled centuries of learning into one sentence: "And God said love me, love them, and love it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fynn/anna-had-bypassed-all-the-nonessentials-and-distilled-centuries-of/) [Fynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) [Explore all 18 Fynn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fynn/) ## More Cogs quotes > [Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continual-balancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Human beings were behaving as human beings and not as cogs in the capitalist machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/human-beings-were-behaving-as-human-beings-and-not-as-cogs-in-the/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“By now you must have guessed: I come from another planet. 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And if you pull me out, a lot of other cogs start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/i-m-the-cog-in-the-middle-that-makes-it-all-turn-together-and-if-you/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [“She supposed she was a little cog in the big wheel of Empire. “Nothing wrong with being a cog,” Maurice said, himself now a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/she-supposed-she-was-a-little-cog-in-the-big-wheel-of-empire-nothing/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [I surrendered my moral conscience to the fact that I was a soldier, and therefore a cog in a relatively low position of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-ohlendorf/i-surrendered-my-moral-conscience-to-the-fact-that-i-was-a-soldier/) [Otto Ohlendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-ohlendorf/) > [a samurai is a total human being, whereas a man who is completely absorbed in his technical skill has degenerated into a ‘function’, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/a-samurai-is-a-total-human-being-whereas-a-man-who-is-completely/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/the-last-word-in-ignorance-is-the-man-who-says-of-an-animal-or-plant-2/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [The question is how does Hilary Clinton fit in this broader network? She's a centralising cog. You've got a lot of different gears in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/the-question-is-how-does-hilary-clinton-fit-in-this-broader-network/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [It's great to be able to play the bad guy role because you always get a lot to do, but I'm always looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/it-s-great-to-be-able-to-play-the-bad-guy-role-because-you-always-get/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [Justice in the hands of the powerful is merely a governing system like any other. Why call it justice? Let us rather call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bernanos/justice-in-the-hands-of-the-powerful-is-merely-a-governing-system/) [Georges Bernanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bernanos/) > [I think that very often younger writers don't appreciate how much hard work is involved in writing. The part of writing that's magic is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/i-think-that-very-often-younger-writers-don-t-appreciate-how-much/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [You know the Model of your Car. You know just what its powers are. You treat it with a deal of care, Nor tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kendrick-bangs/you-know-the-model-of-your-car-you-know-just-what-its-powers-are-you/) [John Kendrick Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kendrick-bangs/) [Browse all 86 Cogs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cogs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A fact was the hard outer cover of meaning, and meaning was the soft living stuff inside a fact. Fact and meaning were the driving cogs of living. If the gear of fact drove the gear of meaning, then they revolved in opposite directions, but put the gear of fantasy between the two and they both revolved in the same direction. Fantasy was and is important; it leads to heaven knows where, but follow it and see. 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