--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you find a germ of truth, beware…" description: "\"When you find a germ of truth, beware. Those germs can make you sick.\" — John R. Erickson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/john-r-erickson-24156_germs_when-you-find-a-germ-of-truth-beware-tho_3160180.jpg" --- # When you find a germ of truth, beware. Those germs can… ![“When you find a germ of truth, beware. Those germs can make you sick.” quote by John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/john-r-erickson-24156_germs_when-you-find-a-germ-of-truth-beware-tho_3160180.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/john-r-erickson-24156_germs_when-you-find-a-germ-of-truth-beware-tho_3160180.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/john-r-erickson-24156_germs_when-you-find-a-germ-of-truth-beware-tho_3160180.jpg) > “When you find a germ of truth, beware. Those germs can make you sick.” [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small truths can be dangerous if they spread unchecked. **In simple terms:** Beware of tiny truths that can cause harm. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate even minor claims. Themes truth danger skepticism information health Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - media consumption - scientific research - health advice - policy making Key Concepts cognitive bias misinformation critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a small claim? - What safeguards prevent harmful ideas from spreading? 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Or healed. - Words create worlds because the universe is always listening... and so are your cells, your psyche,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/words-can-make-you-sick-or-healed-words-create-worlds-because-the/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [“Your mind can make you sick, and your mind can heal you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mind-can-make-you-sick-and-your-mind-can-heal-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Selfish people make me sick to my stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/selfish-people-make-me-sick-to-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John R. Erickson > [I'm flatulent in many languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/i-m-flatulent-in-many-languages/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“Buzzards don’t make good friends. They always have an interior motive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/buzzards-don-t-make-good-friends-they-always-have-an-interior-motive/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“Cats are greedy, whereas I merely want all the scraps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/cats-are-greedy-whereas-i-merely-want-all-the-scraps/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“The best cure for a broken heart is a dozen eggs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/the-best-cure-for-a-broken-heart-is-a-dozen-eggs/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [Bravery and devotion to duty hath no greater reward than to see the cat get into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/bravery-and-devotion-to-duty-hath-no-greater-reward-than-to-see-the/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“Write about something you know. Try to leave your readers better off than they were before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/write-about-something-you-know-try-to-leave-your-readers-better-off/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [When I'm alone, I'm in the company of the most interesting dog I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/when-i-m-alone-i-m-in-the-company-of-the-most-interesting-dog-i-know/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“Hank is a dog, not a human dressed up in a dog suit. Humans share some of his flaws, but I get my ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/hank-is-a-dog-not-a-human-dressed-up-in-a-dog-suit-humans-share-some/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“My parents placed a high value on reading, starting with the King James Bible, and one whole wall of our living room was filled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/my-parents-placed-a-high-value-on-reading-starting-with-the-king/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“One riot, one cowdog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/one-riot-one-cowdog/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“My idea of being a nice dog stops short of getting murdered for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/my-idea-of-being-a-nice-dog-stops-short-of-getting-murdered-for-it/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [If you like Hank, you'll like Wilder Good, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/if-you-like-hank-you-ll-like-wilder-good-too/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“you reckon it could have been Pete?” I glanced off to the east and saw Pete basking in the sun beside the garden gate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/you-reckon-it-could-have-been-pete-i-glanced-off-to-the-east-and-saw/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [Don't take anything for granite. That's what tombstones are made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/don-t-take-anything-for-granite-that-s-what-tombstones-are-made-of/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) > [“took over the ranch, the cowboys had quit feeding silage, so I didn’t know much”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-erickson/took-over-the-ranch-the-cowboys-had-quit-feeding-silage-so-i-didn-t/) [John R. Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) [Explore all 25 John R. Erickson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-erickson/) ## More Germs quotes > [The Self in you is the same as the Self Universal. Whatever powers are manifested throughout the world, those powers exist in germ, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/the-self-in-you-is-the-same-as-the-self-universal-whatever-powers-are/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [The revolutions of thought which shape the basic outlook of an age are not disseminated through text-books- they spread like epidemics, through contamination by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-revolutions-of-thought-which-shape-the-basic-outlook-of-an-age/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The germs of existence contained in this spot of earth, with ample food, and ample room to expand in, would fill millions of worlds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-germs-of-existence-contained-in-this-spot-of-earth-with-ample/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [... in spite of being happier than I ever dreamed I could be, I'm also soberer. The fear that something may happen to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/in-spite-of-being-happier-than-i-ever-dreamed-i-could-be-i-m-also/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-look-that-judges-and-criticizes/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [A human body can think thoughts, play a piano, kill germs, remove toxins, make a baby all at once. Once it's doing that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/a-human-body-can-think-thoughts-play-a-piano-kill-germs-remove-toxins/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [In the germ, when the first trace of life begins to stir, music is the nurse of the soul; it murmurs in the ear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettina-skrzypczak/in-the-germ-when-the-first-trace-of-life-begins-to-stir-music-is-the/) [Bettina Skrzypczak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettina-skrzypczak/) > [I want to change something. I want to stop the germs from attacking my daughters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-hemon/i-want-to-change-something-i-want-to-stop-the-germs-from-attacking-my/) [Aleksandar Hemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-hemon/) > [Prayer is the Lord's great sterilizer against the germs of spiritual disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-talmage/prayer-is-the-lord-s-great-sterilizer-against-the-germs-of-spiritual/) [James E. Talmage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-talmage/) > [For some people, getting pregnant is as easy as catching cold." And there certainly was an analogy there: Colds and babies were both caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/for-some-people-getting-pregnant-is-as-easy-as-catching-cold-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The faculty of doubting is rare among men. A few choice spirits carry the germs of it in them, but these do not develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-faculty-of-doubting-is-rare-among-men-a-few-choice-spirits-carry/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The first step toward the management of disease was replacement of demon theories and humours theories by the germ theory. That very step, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/the-first-step-toward-the-management-of-disease-was-replacement-of/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [The plough of Time breaks up our Eden-land, And tramples down its fruitful flowery prime. Yet thro' the dust of ages living shoots O'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/the-plough-of-time-breaks-up-our-eden-land-and-tramples-down-its/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) > [There are children who will leave a game to go and be bored in a corner of the garret. 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