--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have these images, these icons before…" description: "\"We have these images, these icons before us that are not reality.\" — Lauryn Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg" --- # We have these images, these icons before us that are not… ![“We have these images, these icons before us that are not reality.” quote by Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg) > “We have these images, these icons before us that are not reality.” [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Images and icons we see are not true reflections of reality. **In simple terms:** Icons are not reality. Key Takeaway Question appearances and seek truth. Themes perception media reality Mood cautious inquisitive Type philosophical cultural When to use this quote - advertising - social media - political propaganda Key Concepts critical media literacy philosophical inquiry Questions to Reflect On - How do icons shape our worldview? - When are images reliable? A Different Perspective Images can also convey truth, complicating skepticism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Icons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icons/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [My beauty icons are women whose images are self-created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/my-beauty-icons-are-women-whose-images-are-self-created/) [Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/) > [Jerry Robinson illustrated some of the defining images of pop culture's greatest icons. As an artist myself, it's impossible not to feel humbled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/jerry-robinson-illustrated-some-of-the-defining-images-of-pop-culture/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [Being young and female in America, you watch a lot of T.V., and you grow up on false images of what love truly is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/being-young-and-female-in-america-you-watch-a-lot-of-t-v-and-you-grow/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [“The ocean stands for God, the sole substance, and individual beings are like waves - which are modes of the sea. Each wave has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-carlisle/the-ocean-stands-for-god-the-sole-substance-and-individual-beings-are/) Clare Carlisle > [I'd probably play games obsessively if I didn't write, although I admit I don't read novels partly because I don't enjoy it, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/i-d-probably-play-games-obsessively-if-i-didn-t-write-although-i/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [It is as if something somewhere were 'known' in the form of images - but not by us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-louise-von-franz/it-is-as-if-something-somewhere-were-known-in-the-form-of-images-but/) [Marie-Louise von Franz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-louise-von-franz/) > [We've seen the kind of social impact a professional sports team has on a city. A team brings high-profile role models into your community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-cornett/we-ve-seen-the-kind-of-social-impact-a-professional-sports-team-has/) [Mick Cornett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-cornett/) > [The focus in the Western pictorial tradition is on the body of Christ, the bit you can paint, the Nativity and the infancy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macgregor/the-focus-in-the-western-pictorial-tradition-is-on-the-body-of-christ/) [Neil MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macgregor/) > [My job as an editor is to gently prod the attention of the audience to look at various parts of the frame. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-murch/my-job-as-an-editor-is-to-gently-prod-the-attention-of-the-audience/) [Walter Murch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-murch/) > [War is big and there are only so many reporters and only so many places for their words and images to appear. Choices are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/war-is-big-and-there-are-only-so-many-reporters-and-only-so-many/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [I have been so great in boxing they had to create an image like Rocky, a white image on the screen, to counteract my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-been-so-great-in-boxing-they-had-to-create-an-image-like-rocky/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I always found very strong images for my songwriting in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neneh-cherry/i-always-found-very-strong-images-for-my-songwriting-in-new-york/) [Neneh Cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neneh-cherry/) > [ \[We\] make images to see clearly: then we see clearly what we have made. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wright-morris/we-make-images-to-see-clearly-then-we-see-clearly-what-we-have-made/) [Wright Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wright-morris/) > [TV images are powerful and sometimes unfair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/tv-images-are-powerful-and-sometimes-unfair/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) ## More by Lauryn Hill > [Let me be patient, let me be kind, make me unselfish, without being blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/let-me-be-patient-let-me-be-kind-make-me-unselfish-without-being-blind/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [I like a brother that cuts to the chase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-like-a-brother-that-cuts-to-the-chase/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Since those who believe they need a hero/celebrity outnumber the actual heroes/celebrities, people feel safe and comfortably justified in numbers, committing egregious crimes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/since-those-who-believe-they-need-a-hero-celebrity-outnumber-the/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [When I have a creative insight, there is a high. I think back in the day, I made music as much as I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/when-i-have-a-creative-insight-there-is-a-high-i-think-back-in-the/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Don't be a hard rock when you really are a gem!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/don-t-be-a-hard-rock-when-you-really-are-a-gem/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [I wrote these words for everyone who struggles in their youth. Who won't accept deception instead of what is truth. It seems we lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-wrote-these-words-for-everyone-who-struggles-in-their-youth-who-won/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [See fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need. And I just retired from the fantasy part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/see-fantasy-is-what-people-want-but-reality-is-what-they-need-and-i/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [This life is a process of learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/this-life-is-a-process-of-learning/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [If I should fall asleep and death takes me away, Don't be surprised son, I wasn't put here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/if-i-should-fall-asleep-and-death-takes-me-away-don-t-be-surprised/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [A friend once said, and I found to be true,That everyday people, they lie to God too,So what makes you think, that they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/a-friend-once-said-and-i-found-to-be-true-that-everyday-people-they/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [In my family, there was not an abundance of wealth, but there was an abundance of love. So there was always humor, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/in-my-family-there-was-not-an-abundance-of-wealth-but-there-was-an/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [As artists, we have an opportunity to help the public evolve, raise consciousness and awareness, teach, heal, enlighten and inspire in ways the democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/as-artists-we-have-an-opportunity-to-help-the-public-evolve-raise/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Never underestimate those who you scar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/never-underestimate-those-who-you-scar/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [It could all be so simple, but you'd rather make it hard, loving you is like a battle, and we both end up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/it-could-all-be-so-simple-but-you-d-rather-make-it-hard-loving-you-is/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) [Explore all 197 Lauryn Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) ## More Icons quotes > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [My style icon is anyone who makes a bloody effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-blow/my-style-icon-is-anyone-who-makes-a-bloody-effort/) [Isabella Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-blow/) > [What makes a gay icon is someone who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/what-makes-a-gay-icon-is-someone-who-possesses-both-masculine-and/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [We segregate men from women, and no matter how many times we insist that men and women are equal, men and women should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-t-mitchell/we-segregate-men-from-women-and-no-matter-how-many-times-we-insist/) [W. J. T. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-t-mitchell/) > [On the news that the Tsar had sent the troops icons to boost their morals, General Dragomirov quipped: 'The Japanese are beating us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-figes/on-the-news-that-the-tsar-had-sent-the-troops-icons-to-boost-their/) [Orlando Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-figes/) > [My icons do not raise up the blessed savior in elaborate cathedrals. They are constructed concentrations celebrating barren rooms. They bring a limited light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-flavin/my-icons-do-not-raise-up-the-blessed-savior-in-elaborate-cathedrals/) [Dan Flavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-flavin/) > [The SF genre, of course, is really an organically evolved, marketplace-determined, idiosyncratic grab bag of themes and signifiers and characters and icons and gadgets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-di-filippo/the-sf-genre-of-course-is-really-an-organically-evolved-marketplace/) [Paul Di Filippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-di-filippo/) > [Wisdom is a living stream, not an icon to be preserved in a museum. Only when a practitioner finds the spring of wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/wisdom-is-a-living-stream-not-an-icon-to-be-preserved-in-a-museum/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [My style icons are Leigh Lezark, Gwen Stefani and Shirley Manson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-style-icons-are-leigh-lezark-gwen-stefani-and-shirley-manson/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [Jerry Garcia was one of the original American icons. He played naturally and beautifully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ornette-coleman/jerry-garcia-was-one-of-the-original-american-icons-he-played/) [Ornette Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ornette-coleman/) > [You can never take too much care over the choice of your shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/you-can-never-take-too-much-care-over-the-choice-of-your-shoes/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > ["You're a sex icon." Why? Because I played a vampire in a movie? It's all very unearned. If I had the best freaking abs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/you-re-a-sex-icon-why-because-i-played-a-vampire-in-a-movie-it-s-all/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [All I want to do is be a gay icon. I was reading Lady Gaga's twitter, because she has like 12 million followers, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/all-i-want-to-do-is-be-a-gay-icon-i-was-reading-lady-gaga-s-twitter/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [My beauty icon is Angelina Jolie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-benson/my-beauty-icon-is-angelina-jolie/) [Ashley Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-benson/) > [I don't think these women are stupid. I think they're selling a personality that's very marketable: Wouldn't it be fun if we were all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/i-don-t-think-these-women-are-stupid-i-think-they-re-selling-a/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) [Browse all 402 Icons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icons/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have these images, these icons before us that are not reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauryn Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-have-these-images-these-icons-before-us-that-are-not-reality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Icons" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-have-these-images-these-icons-before-us-that-are-not-reality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/lauryn-hill-1933_icons_we-have-these-images-these-icons-before_1617578.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have these images, these icons before us that are not reality.” — Lauryn Hill", "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": "Lauryn Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have these images, these icons...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-have-these-images-these-icons-before-us-that-are-not-reality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-have-these-images-these-icons-before-us-that-are-not-reality/#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 } } ] } ```