--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't matter what is true; it only…" description: "\"It doesn't matter what is true; it only matters what people believe is true... You are what the media define you to be. [Greenpeace] became a myth and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/paul-watson-1855_believe_it-doesn-t-matter-what-is-true-it-only-m_2502730.jpg" --- # It doesn't matter what is true; it only matters what… ![“It doesn't matter what is true; it only matters what people believe is true... You are what the media define you to be. [Greenpeace] became a myth and a myth-generating machine.” quote by Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/paul-watson-1855_believe_it-doesn-t-matter-what-is-true-it-only-m_2502730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/paul-watson-1855_believe_it-doesn-t-matter-what-is-true-it-only-m_2502730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/paul-watson-1855_believe_it-doesn-t-matter-what-is-true-it-only-m_2502730.jpg) > “It doesn't matter what is true; it only matters what people believe is true... You are what the media define you to be. \[Greenpeace\] became a myth and a myth-generating machine.” [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## 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 less important than collective belief; media shapes identity and myth **In simple terms:** People define themselves by what media tells them, not objective facts Key Takeaway Question media narratives and form your own view Themes media influence belief vs truth mythmaking Mood critical inquisitive Type activist reflective When to use this quote - political discourse - environmental activism - personal identity formation - public relations Key Concepts social constructionism information ecology Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify what you believe? - What role does media play in your self‑image? A Different Perspective Media narratives can be manipulated and may not reflect reality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Define Greenpeace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-greenpeace-1078275/) [Define you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-you/) [Greenpeace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greenpeace/) [Greenpeace Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greenpeace-myth-1078274/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-true-650445/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [True you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-you/) ## Related quotes > [It doesn't matter what is true, it only matters what people believe is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/it-doesn-t-matter-what-is-true-it-only-matters-what-people-believe-is/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [People feel good about giving money to Greenpeace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/people-feel-good-about-giving-money-to-greenpeace/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Greenpeace is the world's largest feel-good organisation now, and I can say that 'cause I am one of their co-founders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/greenpeace-is-the-world-s-largest-feel-good-organisation-now-and-i/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Greenpeace has a fast ship that could stop the whalers cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/greenpeace-has-a-fast-ship-that-could-stop-the-whalers-cold/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [ They \[Greenpeace\] forgot their original purpose and turned into a big, rich bureaucracy, more interested in fund-raising than in saving lives, so I got… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/they-greenpeace-forgot-their-original-purpose-and-turned-into-a-big/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Does Greenpeace think it can stop whaling in Antarctica by publicly eating whale meat and declaring it delicious? What are these people thinking?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/does-greenpeace-think-it-can-stop-whaling-in-antarctica-by-publicly/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I will not watch a whale die. I've not seen a whale die since I left Greenpeace in 1977.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-will-not-watch-a-whale-die-i-ve-not-seen-a-whale-die-since-i-left/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [“Never true,' Old Ben would say. 'Useful- now, there's something. Your mind might make a connection that is useful. But true is another matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/never-true-old-ben-would-say-useful-now-there-s-something-your-mind/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I feel the universe is telling me something. And it doesn't even matter if it's true or not. What matters is that I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-feel-the-universe-is-telling-me-something-and-it-doesn-t-even/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [With religion I was always like, Does it matter if it's true if it makes you happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-stone/with-religion-i-was-always-like-does-it-matter-if-it-s-true-if-it/) [Matt Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-stone/) > [“And you have to do it no matter what is true. No matter what is hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/and-you-have-to-do-it-no-matter-what-is-true-no-matter-what-is-hard/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [I always wanted to make movies no matter what. It's true. No matter how I was getting to do it, that's what I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-pascal/i-always-wanted-to-make-movies-no-matter-what-it-s-true-no-matter-how/) [Amy Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-pascal/) > [“And it doesn’t even matter if it’s true or not. What matters is that I feel it, and believe it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/and-it-doesn-t-even-matter-if-it-s-true-or-not-what-matters-is-that-i/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [It is not a matter of what is true that counts, but a matter of what is perceived to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-a-matter-of-what-is-true-that-counts-but-a-matter-of-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [GLHR... has used Greenpeace-style media antics to draw more public attention to the plight of sweatshop workers than the multimillion - dollar international trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/glhr-has-used-greenpeace-style-media-antics-to-draw-more-public/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) ## More by Paul Watson > [Social change comes through people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/social-change-comes-through-people/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Sea Shepherd is to terrorism what Groucho was to Marxism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/sea-shepherd-is-to-terrorism-what-groucho-was-to-marxism/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Here's the thing: Nobody gets extradited for a crime where nobody's been hurt, where no property's been damaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/here-s-the-thing-nobody-gets-extradited-for-a-crime-where-nobody-s/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The shark is the apex predator in the sea. 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I'm not going to be able to do that from some holding cell in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-want-to-stay-in-the-ocean-i-m-not-going-to-be-able-to-do-that-from/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [It is true that many of the Sea Shepherd crewmembers are inexperienced, but the fact is that these volunteers bring a passion to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/it-is-true-that-many-of-the-sea-shepherd-crewmembers-are/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [We have intelligent species on our planet that we are not even trying to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/we-have-intelligent-species-on-our-planet-that-we-are-not-even-trying/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't think you really have to retire from what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-think-you-really-have-to-retire-from-what-you-do/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the Civil War, don’t look at where you stand on slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/if-you-want-to-know-where-you-would-have-stood-on-slavery-before-the/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [People sometimes feel frustrated about what's going on in our oceans and environment, and 'Whale Wars' shows that ordinary people can take action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/people-sometimes-feel-frustrated-about-what-s-going-on-in-our-oceans/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The only language that the Japanese whaling industry understands is economics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-only-language-that-the-japanese-whaling-industry-understands-is/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I'm not pessimistic about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-anything/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't eat fish because there is no such thing as sustainable fishing in the world right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-eat-fish-because-there-is-no-such-thing-as-sustainable/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) [Explore all 203 Paul Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't matter what is true; it only matters what people believe is true... You are what the media define you to be. 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