--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's the truth? The truth is what…" description: "\"What's the truth? The truth is what people WANT. Liars are basically idealists, liars are saints and prophets. Jesus was a liar.\" — Jane Rogers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png" --- # What's the truth? The truth is what people WANT. Liars are… ![“What's the truth? The truth is what people WANT. Liars are basically idealists, liars are saints and prophets. Jesus was a liar.” quote by Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png) > “What's the truth? The truth is what people WANT. Liars are basically idealists, liars are saints and prophets. Jesus was a liar.” [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth is subjective; people shape facts to fit desires, blurring honesty and idealism. **In simple terms:** Truth depends on desire. Key Takeaway Question motives behind statements. Themes truth perception ideals liars propaganda Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - online debate - political speech - personal conversation Key Concepts philosophy media studies Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to accept a comforting lie? - How can we discern truth in biased narratives? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on desire can erode factual integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idealist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealist/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liar/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prophet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophet/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Jesus was either a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/jesus-was-either-a-liar-a-lunatic-or-lord/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Sometimes Christian apologists say there are only three options to who Jesus was: a liar, a lunatic or the Lord. But there could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/sometimes-christian-apologists-say-there-are-only-three-options-to/) [Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/) > [I'm going to preach there was no Fall because there was nothing to fall from, and no Redemption because there was no Fall, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/i-m-going-to-preach-there-was-no-fall-because-there-was-nothing-to/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“I'm a member and preacher to that church where the blind don't see and the lame don't walk and what's dead stay's that way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/i-m-a-member-and-preacher-to-that-church-where-the-blind-don-t-see/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [There is a set of harmless liars, frequently to be met with in company, who deal much in the marvellous. Their usual intention is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/there-is-a-set-of-harmless-liars-frequently-to-be-met-with-in-company/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“When I pretended to be precocious, people started the rumor that I was precocious. When I acted like an idler, rumor had it I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/when-i-pretended-to-be-precocious-people-started-the-rumor-that-i-was/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [I was brought up to never lie. Sure, I have. But in the final mix, the lies I've told are far outweighed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-was-brought-up-to-never-lie-sure-i-have-but-in-the-final-mix-the/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [There never was a liar that had not a spot in him where he could not help admiring truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-never-was-a-liar-that-had-not-a-spot-in-him-where-he-could-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The visionary lies to himself, the liar only to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-visionary-lies-to-himself-the-liar-only-to-others/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [And I, love, am a pathological liar,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-i-love-am-a-pathological-liar/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [That's good; don't deny it. Denying the undeniable just makes you sound like a fool as well as a liar. In this profession, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/that-s-good-don-t-deny-it-denying-the-undeniable-just-makes-you-sound/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I think you are a liar because you think you know what is true. You think you feel what is true. But you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-croggon/i-think-you-are-a-liar-because-you-think-you-know-what-is-true-you/) [Alison Croggon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-croggon/) > [A liar freely gives his oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/a-liar-freely-gives-his-oath/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Jane Rogers > [“Stillness was most natural. To go on scrabbling and running and grasping after some kind of life was aberration; stillness was lasting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/stillness-was-most-natural-to-go-on-scrabbling-and-running-and/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) > [“You want to save the world." "What's wrong with that?" He sighed in exasperation. "You are too young to understand. People get by." "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/you-want-to-save-the-world-what-s-wrong-with-that-he-sighed-in/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) > [“We lay on the short grass and looked at the sky, waiting for the tide to go out. Even as we watched the clouds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/we-lay-on-the-short-grass-and-looked-at-the-sky-waiting-for-the-tide/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) > [If you'll never leave me, I'll never leave you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/if-you-ll-never-leave-me-i-ll-never-leave-you/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) > [“I climbed the ditch, walked out into the middle of the prayer stones and stared across to the monks' island. If you stood there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/i-climbed-the-ditch-walked-out-into-the-middle-of-the-prayer-stones/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) > [“Perfect crime,' he said softly. 'Yes?' 'Persuade an innocent, idealistic young girl that the future of the human race depends on her sacrificing her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/perfect-crime-he-said-softly-yes-persuade-an-innocent-idealistic/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) > [Lips move; lips touch; lips signal. Lips are on the outside for show, and on the most secret inside of your mouth. Lips frame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/lips-move-lips-touch-lips-signal-lips-are-on-the-outside-for-show-and/) [Jane Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) [Explore all 8 Jane Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/) ## More Idealist quotes > [“The difference between an idealist and a fanatic is the idealist is only 90% sure he's right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difference-between-an-idealist-and-a-fanatic-is-the-idealist-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [If you are an idealist, it does not matter what you do or what goes on around you because it isn't real anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/if-you-are-an-idealist-it-does-not-matter-what-you-do-or-what-goes-on/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I'm an idealist. You do things your way well enough, for long enough, you'll get rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-zayn/i-m-an-idealist-you-do-things-your-way-well-enough-for-long-enough/) [Sami Zayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-zayn/) > [Only the broken-hearted idealist can become a cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-clifton/only-the-broken-hearted-idealist-can-become-a-cynic/) Mark Clifton > [“You see in such a world as this, an idealist -or perhaps it's only a sentimentalist-must be stoned to death. He makes the others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/you-see-in-such-a-world-as-this-an-idealist-or-perhaps-it-s-only-a/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [Teachers are by nature idealists, and they believe anything can be learned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wiggs/teachers-are-by-nature-idealists-and-they-believe-anything-can-be/) [Susan Wiggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wiggs/) > [“An idealist is someone who helps other people to be prosperous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-henry-ford/an-idealist-is-someone-who-helps-other-people-to-be-prosperous/) Ford Henry Ford > [What is Southern California but an ever-changing dreamscape backdrop for the postmodern ideal? The psychology of the postmodern world is the continual state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-van-hamersveld/what-is-southern-california-but-an-ever-changing-dreamscape-backdrop/) [John Van Hamersveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-van-hamersveld/) > [The most important thing about the gentleman was that he was an idealist. ... He was bred up to a code of self-restraint which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/the-most-important-thing-about-the-gentleman-was-that-he-was-an/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [The idealist and dreamer will stubbornly go down with the ship. The serial innovator grabs the rudder and changes course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-osborne/the-idealist-and-dreamer-will-stubbornly-go-down-with-the-ship-the/) [Larry Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-osborne/) > [I'm an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-cannavale/i-m-an-idealist/) [Bobby Cannavale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-cannavale/) > [In fact I'm in too much of a mental muddle to know where I am - an idealist or not. I'm a mere man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/in-fact-i-m-in-too-much-of-a-mental-muddle-to-know-where-i-am-an/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I may be a businessman in that I set up and run companies for profit, but when I try to plan ahead and dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-may-be-a-businessman-in-that-i-set-up-and-run-companies-for-profit/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) [Browse all 248 Idealist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's the truth? The truth is what people WANT. Liars are basically idealists, liars are saints and prophets. Jesus was a liar.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Rogers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-people-want-liars-are-basically/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Idealist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-people-want-liars-are-basically/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a1/jane-rogers-46616_idealist_what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-peopl_1039280.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What's the truth? The truth is what people WANT. Liars are basically idealists, liars are saints and…” — Jane Rogers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jane Rogers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rogers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What's the truth? The truth is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-people-want-liars-are-basically/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rogers/what-s-the-truth-the-truth-is-what-people-want-liars-are-basically/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```