--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a…" description: "\"“So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a successful delusion.”\" — Manu Joseph" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg" --- # So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a successful delusion. ![“So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a successful delusion.” quote by Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg) > ““So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a successful delusion.”” [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) ## 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 a construct that can be useful yet deceptive; it shapes perception. **In simple terms:** Truth can be a helpful illusion. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about reality. Themes philosophy truth perception literature Mood thoughtful critical Type aphilosophical literary When to use this quote - media analysis - creative writing - critical thinking Key Concepts cognitive bias epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What truths do you accept without proof? - When can a delusion be beneficial? A Different Perspective Truth may be manipulated for power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [It is better to be part of a failed truth than a successful lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/it-is-better-to-be-part-of-a-failed-truth-than-a-successful-lie/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [“every entrepreneur must master the art of risk management, the truth of why a few are successful stands here”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anath-lee-wales/every-entrepreneur-must-master-the-art-of-risk-management-the-truth/) [Anath Lee Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anath-lee-wales/) > [“If two people believe in the same idea of truth, it is a delusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/if-two-people-believe-in-the-same-idea-of-truth-it-is-a-delusion/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [We're not given the chance to choose absolute truth. Truth's always two-faced. The only thing we have is the right to reject the lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/we-re-not-given-the-chance-to-choose-absolute-truth-truth-s-always/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [When photography was invented, it was thought to be an equivalent to truth. It was truth with a capital T.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-goldberg/when-photography-was-invented-it-was-thought-to-be-an-equivalent-to/) Vicki Goldberg > [The truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. Little men are dissolved in it. If there is any gold, truth makes it shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adela-rogers-st-johns/the-truth-the-whole-truth-nothing-but-the-truth-little-men-are/) [Adela Rogers St. Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adela-rogers-st-johns/) > [There is no fucked up way to tell the truth because the truth in itself is fucked up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristani-townsend/there-is-no-fucked-up-way-to-tell-the-truth-because-the-truth-in/) Kristani Townsend > [“There are all kinds of truth ... but behind all of them there is only one truth and that is that there's no truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/there-are-all-kinds-of-truth-but-behind-all-of-them-there-is-only-one/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Effective thinking consists of being able to arrive at the truth; truth being defined as that which exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/effective-thinking-consists-of-being-able-to-arrive-at-the-truth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always tell the truth or the truth will tell on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-k-sonnenberg/always-tell-the-truth-or-the-truth-will-tell-on-you/) [Frank K. Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-k-sonnenberg/) > [“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. What was there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-mind-of-man-is-capable-of-anything-because-everything-is-in-it/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [One must be very particular about telling the truth. Through truth one can realize God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/one-must-be-very-particular-about-telling-the-truth-through-truth-one/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [Face the truth or the truth will face you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/face-the-truth-or-the-truth-will-face-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Even in a remote monastery, you may still be remote from the truth! To find the truth, all you need is a sound way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/even-in-a-remote-monastery-you-may-still-be-remote-from-the-truth-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [People who really desire inspiration expect to hear the truth and those who deserve motivation here accept really the truth because the truth in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/people-who-really-desire-inspiration-expect-to-hear-the-truth-and/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) ## More by Manu Joseph > [“A mysterious character of UFOs is that they are sighted only in the First World,' she said, 'and no alien conquest of Earth begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/a-mysterious-character-of-ufos-is-that-they-are-sighted-only-in-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“The dedication of passwords was the new fellowship of marriage. To each other, couples had become furtive asterisks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/the-dedication-of-passwords-was-the-new-fellowship-of-marriage-to/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“Somehow I feel that a person who thinks he has discovered the absolute truth will not be someone I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/somehow-i-feel-that-a-person-who-thinks-he-has-discovered-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“How unfortunate is the guy who does not live in the extravagant memory of an infatuated young woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/how-unfortunate-is-the-guy-who-does-not-live-in-the-extravagant/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [That men, in reality, did not have friends in other men. That the fellowship of men, despite its joyous banter, old memories of exaggerated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/that-men-in-reality-did-not-have-friends-in-other-men-that-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“A man cannot be exactly the way he wants to be and also dream of keeping his wife”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/a-man-cannot-be-exactly-the-way-he-wants-to-be-and-also-dream-of/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“It is a misfortune to be in the presence of a writer, even a failed writer, to be seen by him, be his passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/it-is-a-misfortune-to-be-in-the-presence-of-a-writer-even-a-failed/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [It is the misanthrope who alone has clarity.By standing outside the huddles of man,he sees a lot,and what he often sees is the evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/it-is-the-misanthrope-who-alone-has-clarity-by-standing-outside-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“On the pavement by the side of the road was planted a banner two storeys high. Even in the blow-up the celebrity appeared stunted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/on-the-pavement-by-the-side-of-the-road-was-planted-a-banner-two/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [The Magna Carta is an early reminder of the crucial difference between freedom and liberty. Liberty is freedom that is unique to humans, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/the-magna-carta-is-an-early-reminder-of-the-crucial-difference/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“She was reminded of her mother's prophecy one day before her wedding that - he will go completely mad one day. But he seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/she-was-reminded-of-her-mother-s-prophecy-one-day-before-her-wedding/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“The Boy will not be a failure. Mythili knows.She has seen the generations before.The boy will make it.As his father has said,he does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/the-boy-will-not-be-a-failure-mythili-knows-she-has-seen-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“If two people believe in the same idea of truth, it is a delusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/if-two-people-believe-in-the-same-idea-of-truth-it-is-a-delusion/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“What is it about life that even Ousep Chacko believes it is a lottery?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/what-is-it-about-life-that-even-ousep-chacko-believes-it-is-a-lottery/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“The tragedy of mediocrity is that even mediocre people shake their heads and mull over how standard are falling. - Serious Men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/the-tragedy-of-mediocrity-is-that-even-mediocre-people-shake-their/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) [Explore all 53 Manu Joseph quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) ## More Delusion quotes > [Getting rid of a delusion makes us wiser than getting hold of a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-borne/getting-rid-of-a-delusion-makes-us-wiser-than-getting-hold-of-a-truth/) [Ludwig Borne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-borne/) > [If the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labour, entertainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/if-the-idea-of-having-to-change-ourselves-makes-us-uncomfortable-we/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The Science Delusion is the belief that science already understands the nature of reality in principle leaving only the details to be filled in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/the-science-delusion-is-the-belief-that-science-already-understands/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“we shouldn’t surrender our real world perception to a false reality too much or we may suffer the inevitable consequences of deluded thinking. Technology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-p-neary/we-shouldn-t-surrender-our-real-world-perception-to-a-false-reality/) M.P. Neary > [Atheism Explained is a gem. It is clear, informative, well-argued, provocative, often witty, and unfailingly interesting. David Ramsay Steele ranges over so many issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-shearmur/atheism-explained-is-a-gem-it-is-clear-informative-well-argued/) Jeremy Shearmur > [It is a great delusion to suppose that flesh-meat of any kind is essential to health. Considerably more than three parts of the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-booth/it-is-a-great-delusion-to-suppose-that-flesh-meat-of-any-kind-is/) [Catherine Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-booth/) > [The religions of mankind must be classed among the mass-delusions of this kind. No one, needless to say, who shares a delusion ever recognizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-religions-of-mankind-must-be-classed-among-the-mass-delusions-of/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [I suffer from the delusion that every product of my imagination is not only possible, but always on the cusp of becoming real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-parker/i-suffer-from-the-delusion-that-every-product-of-my-imagination-is/) [Sean Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-parker/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“Someone who has the delusion Glass, is made of, does not literally believe herself to be made of glass but rather feels fragile and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/someone-who-has-the-delusion-glass-is-made-of-does-not-literally/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [Paranoia is a state of heightened awareness. Most people are persecuted beyond their wildest delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-steiner/paranoia-is-a-state-of-heightened-awareness-most-people-are/) Claude Steiner > [Women are women, and so are men, and the delusion that we are spiritually separate from or are about to spiritually separate from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anohni/women-are-women-and-so-are-men-and-the-delusion-that-we-are/) [Anohni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anohni/) > [I'd actually love to think that I could trust Kerry on national security. But the only way I could do that, at this point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-d-actually-love-to-think-that-i-could-trust-kerry-on-national/) [Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/) [Browse all 1,172 Delusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a successful delusion.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Manu Joseph" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-successful-delusion/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Delusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-successful-delusion/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/manu-joseph-12806_success_so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-success_1367062.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So what is truth, then ?’ ‘Truth is a successful delusion.” — Manu Joseph", "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": "Manu Joseph", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“So what is truth, then ?’...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-successful-delusion/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/so-what-is-truth-then-truth-is-a-successful-delusion/#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 } } ] } ```