--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To believe in only the practical, the…" description: "\"“To believe in only the practical, the rational, the realistic was a kind of glamour as well. But he couldn't enjoy the illusion of order anymore. Mons..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/victor-lavalle-9013_quote_to-believe-in-only-the-practical-the-rat_1843148.jpg" --- # To believe in only the practical, the rational, the… ![“To believe in only the practical, the rational, the realistic was a kind of glamour as well. But he couldn't enjoy the illusion of order anymore. Monsters aren't real until you meet one.” quote by Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/victor-lavalle-9013_quote_to-believe-in-only-the-practical-the-rat_1843148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/victor-lavalle-9013_quote_to-believe-in-only-the-practical-the-rat_1843148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/victor-lavalle-9013_quote_to-believe-in-only-the-practical-the-rat_1843148.jpg) > ““To believe in only the practical, the rational, the realistic was a kind of glamour as well. But he couldn't enjoy the illusion of order anymore. Monsters aren't real until you meet one.”” [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying solely on practicality blinds us to the allure of chaos; confronting monsters makes them real. **In simple terms:** Only practical thinking limits imagination; facing fears gives them power. Key Takeaway Balance practicality with imagination. Themes imagination fear reality illusion Mood anxious inspired Type literary motivational When to use this quote - creative work - personal growth - risk assessment - mental health Key Concepts psychology mythology Questions to Reflect On - What "monsters" have you ignored? - How can you integrate imagination into decision‑making? A Different Perspective Practicality alone can stifle creativity and awareness of hidden dangers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [ Surely no rational or realistic person will discount the possibility that \[during wartime\] the United States might suddenly resort to nuclear weapons. 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Skirt the rules but don’t break them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/this-is-how-you-hustle-the-arcane-skirt-the-rules-but-don-t-break-them/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [Doubt is the big machine. It grinds up the delusions of women and men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/doubt-is-the-big-machine-it-grinds-up-the-delusions-of-women-and-men/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [“I don’t know what to say about the hygiene of the male species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/i-don-t-know-what-to-say-about-the-hygiene-of-the-male-species/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [A little style is a good thing, but you can’t trust a person who won’t be ugly in front of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/a-little-style-is-a-good-thing-but-you-can-t-trust-a-person-who-won-t/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [“His life had been disrupted, but not his billing cycles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/his-life-had-been-disrupted-but-not-his-billing-cycles/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [“It's hard to fake faith, in yourself or anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/it-s-hard-to-fake-faith-in-yourself-or-anything-else/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [“People hear that you grew up religious, and they can’t imagine you’d have a complex relationship with faith. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mats-hummels/nobody-thought-that-i-could-become-a-professional-i-was-not-that-good/) [Mats Hummels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mats-hummels/) > [Every artist obviously wants to sell a million records and do the MTV cribs thing, but I'm realistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jd-era/every-artist-obviously-wants-to-sell-a-million-records-and-do-the-mtv/) [JD Era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jd-era/) > [Oh wow, you know what's wrong with all these families on TV? All these kids say stuff no kid would say. Stuff grown-ups want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/oh-wow-you-know-what-s-wrong-with-all-these-families-on-tv-all-these/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) > [It is important to allow a broad debate on energy and climate. We must urgently explore realistic ways to address the different scientific, technical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-bengtsson/it-is-important-to-allow-a-broad-debate-on-energy-and-climate-we-must/) Lennart Bengtsson > [“Missing: A teenaged girl with lanky, blonde hair and a sunburst tattoo on her cheek. The holographic posters, brighter than day itself, lit up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-l-bernstein/missing-a-teenaged-girl-with-lanky-blonde-hair-and-a-sunburst-tattoo/) Amy L. 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