--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth, like love and sleep, resents…" description: "\"“Truth, like love and sleep, resents approaches that are too intense.”\" — W. H. Auden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/w-h-auden-856_intense_truth-like-love-and-sleep-resents-approa_353791.png" --- # Truth, like love and sleep, resents approaches that are… ![“Truth, like love and sleep, resents approaches that are too intense.” quote by W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/w-h-auden-856_intense_truth-like-love-and-sleep-resents-approa_353791.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/w-h-auden-856_intense_truth-like-love-and-sleep-resents-approa_353791.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/w-h-auden-856_intense_truth-like-love-and-sleep-resents-approa_353791.png) > ““Truth, like love and sleep, resents approaches that are too intense.”” [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense pursuit of truth can create resistance, similar to love and sleep. **In simple terms:** Seeking truth too forcefully can cause backlash. Key Takeaway Approach truth gently and patiently. Themes truth intensity resistance love sleep Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - research - personal reflection - conflict resolution - relationship building Key Concepts philosophy psychology human nature Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to be direct? - How do you balance intensity with patience? A Different Perspective Gentle inquiry may miss urgent issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Truth is like the sun, you see it if you wake up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-cb/truth-is-like-the-sun-you-see-it-if-you-wake-up/) Jonas CB > [Revealing the truth is like lighting a match , it can bring light , or it can set your world on fire ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/revealing-the-truth-is-like-lighting-a-match-it-can-bring-light-or-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Truth is like bubbles in water, it is its nature to surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayrton-senna/truth-is-like-bubbles-in-water-it-is-its-nature-to-surface/) [Ayrton Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayrton-senna/) > [Truth is like a swirling wind, that swirls easy and free, its easy to explain when saying the truth, cuz it is what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/truth-is-like-a-swirling-wind-that-swirls-easy-and-free-its-easy-to/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [Truth, like time, is an idea arising from, and dependent upon, human intercourse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/truth-like-time-is-an-idea-arising-from-and-dependent-upon-human/) [Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/) > [“Truth like beauty seems to be in the eye and mind of the beholder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-munson/truth-like-beauty-seems-to-be-in-the-eye-and-mind-of-the-beholder/) Helene Munson > [Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/truth-like-gold-is-to-be-obtained-not-by-its-growth-but-by-washing-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Truth is like oil..it floats even in an ocean of lies..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ubong/truth-is-like-oil-it-floats-even-in-an-ocean-of-lies/) Ubong > [Sometimes you don't want the truth. Sometimes you're like, "Oh just tell me the good answer. I don't want the truth."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-russell/sometimes-you-don-t-want-the-truth-sometimes-you-re-like-oh-just-tell/) [Keri Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-russell/) > [“the good thing about the truth is it’s true, and there’s no arguing with the truth. You may not like it, but that doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/the-good-thing-about-the-truth-is-it-s-true-and-there-s-no-arguing/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“Truth, like a little dog, will always find its way out into the street.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mejia/truth-like-a-little-dog-will-always-find-its-way-out-into-the-street/) Michael Mejia > [Receiving a new truth is like adding a new sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justus-von-liebig/receiving-a-new-truth-is-like-adding-a-new-sense/) [Justus von Liebig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justus-von-liebig/) > [~The truth? I like you alot. you make me happy. you make me laugh. you're smart. you're different, you're a little crazy and awkward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-broken/the-truth-i-like-you-alot-you-make-me-happy-you-make-me-laugh-you-re/) She's\_broken > [“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold. —Count Leo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-like-gold-is-to-be-obtained-not-by-its-growth-but-by-washing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He said the truth is like that water: it doesn't matter how hard you try to bury it; it'll always find some way back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-a-tucker/he-said-the-truth-is-like-that-water-it-doesn-t-matter-how-hard-you/) [K.A. Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-a-tucker/) ## More by W. H. Auden > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/why-doesn-t-the-united-states-take-over-the-monarchy-and-unite-with/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Harrow the house of the dead; look shining at New styles of architecture, a change of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/harrow-the-house-of-the-dead-look-shining-at-new-styles-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Most poetry is the utterance of a man in some state of passion, love, joy, grief, rage, etc., and no doubt this is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/most-poetry-is-the-utterance-of-a-man-in-some-state-of-passion-love/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Men will pay large sums to whores for telling them they are not bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/men-will-pay-large-sums-to-whores-for-telling-them-they-are-not-bores/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If age, which is certainly Just as wicked as youth, look any wiser, It is only that youth is still able to believe It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-age-which-is-certainly-just-as-wicked-as-youth-look-any-wiser-it/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/those-to-whom-evil-is-done-do-evil-in-return/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I and the public know What all schoolchildren learn, Those to whom evil is done Do evil in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/i-and-the-public-know-what-all-schoolchildren-learn-those-to-whom/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [How happy the lot of the mathematician. He is judged solely by his peers, and the standard is so high that no colleague or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/how-happy-the-lot-of-the-mathematician-he-is-judged-solely-by-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise, because of impatience we cannot return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/perhaps-there-is-only-one-cardinal-sin-impatience-because-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The windiest militant trash Important Persons shout Is not so crude as our wish: What mad Nijinsky wrote About Diaghilev Is true of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-windiest-militant-trash-important-persons-shout-is-not-so-crude/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/time-and-fevers-burn-away-individual-beauty-from-thoughtful-children/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [To hunt for symbols in a fairy tale is absolutely fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-hunt-for-symbols-in-a-fairy-tale-is-absolutely-fatal/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) [Explore all 344 W. H. Auden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## More Intense quotes > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Love could be fractured and serve different purposes, and that intense love could be divided, between people just as easily as between moments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-davies/love-could-be-fractured-and-serve-different-purposes-and-that-intense/) [Luke Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-davies/) > [I'm afraid I'm just too intense to have soft ideas, you know, about what to read when you're trying to pass the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-m-afraid-i-m-just-too-intense-to-have-soft-ideas-you-know-about/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/i-have-an-intense-dislike-of-doctrines-because-you-will-always-end-up/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-desire-to-succeed-so-intense/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [“What do you want?" "You." His voice was soft, low. His eyes were intense and watchful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/what-do-you-want-you-his-voice-was-soft-low-his-eyes-were-intense-and/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [I do enjoy intense, bloodthirsty action, but I like to blend and cross genres. I don't want to be too predictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-marshall/i-do-enjoy-intense-bloodthirsty-action-but-i-like-to-blend-and-cross/) [Neil Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-marshall/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I guess I strike people as very serious, or very intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deidre-hall/i-guess-i-strike-people-as-very-serious-or-very-intense/) [Deidre Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deidre-hall/) > [ Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… \[The anthropologist\] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-an-intense-fascinated/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“Lilah growled low in her throat, grabbed his shirt with both hands, and hauled him toward her. Into a kiss that was fierce and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/lilah-growled-low-in-her-throat-grabbed-his-shirt-with-both-hands-and/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I was not wounded in any part of my body, but I had never experienced such intense pain, such a ripping of the nerves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/i-was-not-wounded-in-any-part-of-my-body-but-i-had-never-experienced/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) [Browse all 2,072 Intense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Truth, like love and sleep, resents approaches that are too intense.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. H. 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