Ask for help Quote by James Lee Burke
““I long ago became convinced that the most reliable source for arcane and obscure and seemingly unobtainable information does not lie with the government or law enforcement agencies. Apparently neither the CIA nor the military intelligence apparatus inside the Pentagon had even a slight inkling of the Soviet Union's impending collapse, right up to the moment the Kremlin's leaders were trying to cut deals for their memoirs with New York publishers. Or, if a person really wishes a lesson in the subjective nature of official information, he can always call the IRS and ask for help with his tax forms, then call back a half hour later and ask the same questions to a different representative. So where do you go to find a researcher who is intelligent, imaginative, skilled in the use of computers, devoted to discovering the truth, and knowledgeable about science, technology, history, and literature, and who usually works for dirt and gets credit for nothing? After lunch I drove to the city library on Main and asked the reference librarian to find what she could on Junior Crudup.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Last Juror, 2002
Highlights the unreliability of official sources and the value of independent, interdisciplinary research to uncover hidden truths.
In simple terms: Official info can be misleading; seek diverse sources.
Cultivate curiosity and verify facts across fields.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- investigative journalism
- academic research
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify information from official channels?
- What alternative sources can you trust?
Relying solely on authorities may miss critical insights.