Around the world Quote by Terry Pratchett
““Truth is female, since truth is beauty rather than handsomeness; this, Ridcully reflected as the council grumbled in, would certainly explain the saying that a lie could run around the world before Truth has got its, correction, her boots on, since she would have to choose which pair - the idea that any woman in a position to choose would have just one pair of boots being beyond rational belief. Indeed, as a goddess she would have lots of shoes, and thus many choices: comfy shoes for home truths, hobnail boots for unpleasant truths, simple clogs for universal truths and possibly some kind of slipper for self-evident truth. More important right now was what kind of truth he was going to have to impart to his colleagues, and he decided not on the whole truth, but instead on nothing but the truth, which dispensed with the need for honesty.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Discworld – The Colour of Magic, 1983
Truth is personified as female, with different shoes representing various kinds of truth, highlighting the complexity and choice in presenting truth.
In simple terms: Truth is likened to a woman with many shoes, each type showing a different truth.
Key Takeaway
Choose the appropriate truth for the context.
Themes
truth
choice
communication
ethics
metaphor
Mood
thoughtful
ironic
critical
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- political speech
- personal confession
- media reporting
Key Concepts
personification
symbolism
relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the choice of truth affect trust?
- When is partial truth justified?
A Different Perspective
Truth can be selective, leading to manipulation.
