Psychology Quote by Patrick Ness
““The answer is that it does not matter what you think, the monster said, because your mind will contradict itself a hundred times each day. You wanted her to go at the same time you were desperate for me to save her. Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: "A Monster Calls" (English edition), 2011
The mind creates contradictory narratives, balancing comforting lies with painful truths for survival.
In simple terms: Mind balances lies and truths for survival.
Key Takeaway
Recognize inner contradictions.
Themes
psychology
truth
survival
Mood
introspective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grief
- decision making
- mental health
- personal growth
Key Concepts
cognitive dissonance
narrative therapy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile conflicting thoughts?
- What lies help you cope?
A Different Perspective
Contradictions can cause confusion.
![“I told her [...] that I would bow down before her suffering with compassion, that she could control her life, that I understood that pain is sometimes psychic, not only physical, that she wanted nothing more than to end it and to sleep forever, that for her life was over but that for me it was…” quote by Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e29/miriam-toews-3632_compassion_i-told-her-that-i-would-bow-down-before_2147120.jpg)
