--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better by far to live in the truth and…" description: "\"“Better by far to live in the truth and know it, however bad it may be, than hide yourself away behind ignorance and habit.”\" — Owen Sheers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg" --- # Better by far to live in the truth and know it, however… ![“Better by far to live in the truth and know it, however bad it may be, than hide yourself away behind ignorance and habit.” quote by Owen Sheers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg) > ““Better by far to live in the truth and know it, however bad it may be, than hide yourself away behind ignorance and habit.”” Owen Sheers ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living truthfully, even when painful, is better than hiding behind willful ignorance. **In simple terms:** Truth hurts less than denial. Key Takeaway Choose honesty over comfort. Themes truth integrity self-awareness Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - relationships - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What truth are you avoiding? - How does honesty change your relationships? A Different Perspective Denial can protect self-esteem temporarily but may cause long‑term harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Join me in standing up against any actual knowledge about guns. Let the CDC know they can take away our ignorance when the pry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/join-me-in-standing-up-against-any-actual-knowledge-about-guns-let/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [“Once the illusion (branti) goes away, one can see ‘as it is’, and that is why ignorance goes away. When ignorance goes, maya (deceit)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/once-the-illusion-branti-goes-away-one-can-see-as-it-is-and-that-is/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Wisdom leads to unity, but ignorance to separation. So long as God seems to be outside and far away, there is ignorance. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramakrishna/wisdom-leads-to-unity-but-ignorance-to-separation-so-long-as-god/) [Ramakrishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramakrishna/) > [When 'Hide Away' first started gaining a bit of momentum, I was visiting at least two radio stations per day - sometimes in different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daya/when-hide-away-first-started-gaining-a-bit-of-momentum-i-was-visiting/) [Daya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daya/) > [It's a very American thing to hide away from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/it-s-a-very-american-thing-to-hide-away-from-death/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [You can run and you can hide, but you can never get away from your conscience, it will find you when you are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayssus/you-can-run-and-you-can-hide-but-you-can-never-get-away-from-your/) [Michael Hayssus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayssus/) > [“I hope you remember that you always have a place to hide, away from the noise of the world, away from all that dares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocelyn-soriano/i-hope-you-remember-that-you-always-have-a-place-to-hide-away-from/) [Jocelyn Soriano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocelyn-soriano/) > [I will search for you if you hide away from me I will wait for you if you leave me Will fight for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoheb/i-will-search-for-you-if-you-hide-away-from-me-i-will-wait-for-you-if/) [Zoheb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoheb/) > [I just wanna run, hide it away. Run because they're chasin' me down. I just wanna run, throw it away. Run before they're findin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-downtown-fiction/i-just-wanna-run-hide-it-away-run-because-they-re-chasin-me-down-i/) The Downtown Fiction > [“Some people, he says, they hide themselves away from the eyes of the world. They hunker down and shiver. They find four walls high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-bell/some-people-he-says-they-hide-themselves-away-from-the-eyes-of-the/) [Alden Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-bell/) > [“I had no way to deal with it, no place I could take it to or hide it away. Like the wind passing over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-no-way-to-deal-with-it-no-place-i-could-take-it-to-or-hide-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I started off for home, where I planned to recruit a good book and hide away from the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/i-started-off-for-home-where-i-planned-to-recruit-a-good-book-and/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“A woman is entitled to her secrets. She should be able to hide them away for as long as she wants, without people constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-kamal/a-woman-is-entitled-to-her-secrets-she-should-be-able-to-hide-them/) Sheena Kamal > [Unbelievable," I said. "First you wanted to hide her away to keep you alive. Now you actually want her out in the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/unbelievable-i-said-first-you-wanted-to-hide-her-away-to-keep-you/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Don’t let people interfere with you. Boot ’em out, turn off the phone, hide away, get it done. If you carry a short story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/don-t-let-people-interfere-with-you-boot-em-out-turn-off-the-phone/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More by Owen Sheers > [“Life, she felt, was an instrument, and the trick was to find the tune you could play on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-sheers/life-she-felt-was-an-instrument-and-the-trick-was-to-find-the-tune/) Owen Sheers > [“There are narrow windows for certain beginnings. Multiple strands of personal histories, psychologies, emotions that intersect once only, and then never again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-sheers/there-are-narrow-windows-for-certain-beginnings-multiple-strands-of/) Owen Sheers Explore all 3 Owen Sheers quotes ## More Habits quotes > [“Malchut is also the Alma D’Itgalya, “the Revealed World.” Here our latent potential is actualized through behavior and expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laibl-wolf/malchut-is-also-the-alma-d-itgalya-the-revealed-world-here-our-latent/) Laibl Wolf > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/winning-is-a-habit-unfortunately-so-is-losing/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [“the mind-numbing routine. It was the castration of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/the-mind-numbing-routine-it-was-the-castration-of-thought/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're in a meeting and a man talks loudly over you, rather than copying that behaviour and normalising it, what you could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/if-you-re-in-a-meeting-and-a-man-talks-loudly-over-you-rather-than/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) [Browse all 12,567 Habits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Better by far to live in the truth and know it, however bad it may be, than hide yourself away behind ignorance and habit.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Owen Sheers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-sheers/better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-know-it-however-bad-it-may-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Habits" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-sheers/better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-know-it-however-bad-it-may-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cd/owen-sheers-77994_habits_better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-k_2492700.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Better by far to live in the truth and know it, however bad it may be, than hide yourself away behind…” — Owen Sheers", "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": "Owen Sheers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-sheers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Better by far to live in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-sheers/better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-know-it-however-bad-it-may-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-sheers/better-by-far-to-live-in-the-truth-and-know-it-however-bad-it-may-be/#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 } } ] } ```