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Alcohol Quote by Jack Williamson

“Perhaps that was just a hunch." Barbee shivered again. He knew that he himself possessed what he called the "nose for news" - an intuitive perception of human motivations and the impending events that would spring from them. It wasn't a faculty he could analyze or account for, but he knew that it…” quote by Jack Williamson
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““Perhaps that was just a hunch." Barbee shivered again. He knew that he himself possessed what he called the "nose for news" - an intuitive perception of human motivations and the impending events that would spring from them. It wasn't a faculty he could analyze or account for, but he knew that it wasn't unusual. Most successful reporters possessed it, he believed - even though, in an age of skepticism for everything except mechanistic materialism, they wisely denied it. That dim sense had been useful to him - on those summer field trips, before Mendrick turned him out, it had led him to more than one promising prehistoric site, simply because he somehow knew where a band of wild hunters would prefer to camp, or to dig a comrade's grave. Commonly, however, that uncontrolled faculty had been more curse than blessing. It made him too keenly aware of all that people thought and did around him, kept him troubled with an uneasy alertness. Except when he was drunk. He drank too much, and knew that many other newsmen did. That vague sensitivity, he believed; was half the reason.””

Jack Williamson

About This Quote

A reporter’s gut instinct guides discoveries but can also cause constant mental overload and distress.

In simple terms: Intuition helps find stories but can be overwhelming.

Key Takeaway

Balance intuition with self‑care.

Themes

intuition journalism mental health discovery stress

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

observational cautionary

When to use this quote

  • field research
  • archaeology
  • news reporting
  • social observation

Key Concepts

gut instinct perception cognitive bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you protect yourself from over‑sensitivity?
  • Can intuition be trained?
A Different Perspective

Reliance on intuition may lead to bias or burnout.

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