--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why else do we read anyway? I think most…" description: "\"“Why else do we read anyway? I think most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not \"true\" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/orson-scott-card-134_books_why-else-do-we-read-anyway-i-think-most_2131689.jpg" --- # Why else do we read anyway? I think most of us, anyway… ![“Why else do we read anyway? I think most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth: The mythic truth about human nature in general, the particular truth about those life-communities that define our own identity, and the most…” quote by Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/orson-scott-card-134_books_why-else-do-we-read-anyway-i-think-most_2131689.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/orson-scott-card-134_books_why-else-do-we-read-anyway-i-think-most_2131689.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/orson-scott-card-134_books_why-else-do-we-read-anyway-i-think-most_2131689.jpg) > ““Why else do we read anyway? I think most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth: The mythic truth about human nature in general, the particular truth about those life-communities that define our own identity, and the most specific truth of all: our own self-real world. Fiction, because it is not about somebody who actually lived in the real world, always has the possibility of being about oneself.”” [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fiction offers mythic and personal truths about humanity and identity that factual accounts cannot, allowing readers to discover deeper aspects of themselves. **In simple terms:** Stories reveal deeper truths about ourselves. Key Takeaway Read fiction to explore personal and universal truths. Themes identity myth self‑discovery Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading for growth - creative writing - self‑reflection Key Concepts narrative truth psychology Questions to Reflect On - What personal truth have you found in a story? - How does mythic truth differ from factual truth? A Different Perspective Fiction can blur fact and feeling, sometimes misleading about reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Why else do we read fiction, anyway? Not to be impressed by somebody's dazzling language - or at least I hope that's not our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-else-do-we-read-fiction-anyway-not-to-be-impressed-by-somebody-s/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Fiction, because it is not about somebody who actually lived in the real world, always has the possibility of being about oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/fiction-because-it-is-not-about-somebody-who-actually-lived-in-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Why couldn't the world that concerns us- be a fiction? And if somebody asked, 'but to be a fiction there surely belongs an author?'-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/why-couldn-t-the-world-that-concerns-us-be-a-fiction-and-if-somebody/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Every truth is self-acting and possesses inherent strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/every-truth-is-self-acting-and-possesses-inherent-strength/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It is a good thing to learn the truth one's self. To first believe with all your heart, and then not to believe, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/it-is-a-good-thing-to-learn-the-truth-one-s-self-to-first-believe/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [No matter how much we ask after the truth, self-awareness is often unpleasant. We do not feel kindly toward the Truthsayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/no-matter-how-much-we-ask-after-the-truth-self-awareness-is-often/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Of course, there are different truths on different levels. Things are true relative to other things; "long" and "short" relate to each other, "high"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/of-course-there-are-different-truths-on-different-levels-things-are/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“truth of self. to be honest with myself I was never what you wanted I was just the one you settled for”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-sin/truth-of-self-to-be-honest-with-myself-i-was-never-what-you-wanted-i/) [R.H. Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-sin/) > [If the truth were self-evident, eloquence would be unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/if-the-truth-were-self-evident-eloquence-would-be-unnecessary/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Speak the truth even if its against your self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/speak-the-truth-even-if-its-against-your-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That is what is called learning the truth. It is a good thing to learn the truth one's self. To first believe with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/that-is-what-is-called-learning-the-truth-it-is-a-good-thing-to-learn/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [I learned that I never really know the true story of my guests' lives, that I have to content myself with knowing that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gross/i-learned-that-i-never-really-know-the-true-story-of-my-guests-lives/) [Terry Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gross/) > [ “When we take the present moment as our starting place, life is straightforward and easygoing.\[145\] Truth is self-existing. There is nothing to create or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-riggs/when-we-take-the-present-moment-as-our-starting-place-life-is/) [Benjamin Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-riggs/) > [To feel beauty, to feel truth, that is self-remembering. Self-remembering is the awareness of the presence of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-collin/to-feel-beauty-to-feel-truth-that-is-self-remembering-self/) [Rodney Collin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-collin/) ## More by Orson Scott Card > [“You underestimate yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-underestimate-yourself/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Why did he hesitate? 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The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Where ideas are real and reality is shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-ideas-are-real-and-reality-is-shadow/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Ender, for the past few months you have been the battle commander of our fleets. This was the Third Invasion. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why else do we read anyway? I think most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not \"true\" because we're hungry for another kind of truth: The mythic truth about human nature in general, the particular truth about those life-communities that define our own identity, and the most specific truth of all: our own self-real world. 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