--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When there are multiple versions of a…" description: "\"When there are multiple versions of a story, you really have three ways to go. You can pick the most sensational version. You can try to balance things..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/walter-isaacson-384_balance_when-there-are-multiple-versions-of-a-st_2418506.jpg" --- # When there are multiple versions of a story, you really… ![“When there are multiple versions of a story, you really have three ways to go. You can pick the most sensational version. You can try to balance things in your gut to get to what you think is the honest truth. Or you can err on the side of kindness.” quote by Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/walter-isaacson-384_balance_when-there-are-multiple-versions-of-a-st_2418506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/walter-isaacson-384_balance_when-there-are-multiple-versions-of-a-st_2418506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/walter-isaacson-384_balance_when-there-are-multiple-versions-of-a-st_2418506.jpg) > “When there are multiple versions of a story, you really have three ways to go. You can pick the most sensational version. You can try to balance things in your gut to get to what you think is the honest truth. Or you can err on the side of kindness.” [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing how to present multiple narratives involves sensationalism, balanced judgment, or kindness, each shaping perception differently. **In simple terms:** Decide whether to sensationalize, balance, or be kind when telling stories. Key Takeaway Prefer kindness to foster trust. Themes storytelling ethics perception Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice reflective When to use this quote - journalism - personal relationships - public speaking - conflict resolution Key Concepts media literacy emotional intelligence narrative framing Questions to Reflect On - How does your choice affect audience trust? - When is sensationalism justified? A Different Perspective Kindness may dilute factual rigor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Guts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guts/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-truth/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Multiple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple/) [Multiple Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple-versions-2628400/) [Sensational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensational/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-really-253480/) [Think Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-honest-264723/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions/) [Versions Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions-story-1866357/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“people don't really want original stories. they want different versions of the same story. this is called meta-narrative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-elijah-branch/people-don-t-really-want-original-stories-they-want-different/) [Chester Elijah Branch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-elijah-branch/) > [There are so many versions of every story because every storyteller tells the story differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomm-moore/there-are-so-many-versions-of-every-story-because-every-storyteller/) [Tomm Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomm-moore/) > [“There is only one code stream. You can develop in a temporary branch, but never let it live longer than a few hours. Multiple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/there-is-only-one-code-stream-you-can-develop-in-a-temporary-branch/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [Another thing that really excites me: I'd like to do multiple versions of the same film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/another-thing-that-really-excites-me-i-d-like-to-do-multiple-versions/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [It's OK to just have one version of yourself. It's OK to have multiple versions of yourself too, but you don't have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/it-s-ok-to-just-have-one-version-of-yourself-it-s-ok-to-have-multiple/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [I think you have to be honest and not try to be somebody that you really aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-graham/i-think-you-have-to-be-honest-and-not-try-to-be-somebody-that-you/) [Heather Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-graham/) > [I would like to say, and I think I am truthful, and I think I am honest when I say that I love doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-would-like-to-say-and-i-think-i-am-truthful-and-i-think-i-am-honest/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [For the record, I don't expect you to believe any of this. Not really. I'm a liar by trade, after all; albeit, I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/for-the-record-i-don-t-expect-you-to-believe-any-of-this-not-really-i/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think you have to be honest with yourself. You have to accept your situation and do the best that you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wagner/i-think-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-you-have-to-accept-your/) [David Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wagner/) > [“My honesty now is merely a long-term investment in my own plausibility. Because there may come a day when I really need to lie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/my-honesty-now-is-merely-a-long-term-investment-in-my-own/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [“He has been talking to you. I'm glad, but surprised he told you that stuff. Still, I'll take it as a good sign considering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/he-has-been-talking-to-you-i-m-glad-but-surprised-he-told-you-that/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [I think we should be honest about who is working in our kitchens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/i-think-we-should-be-honest-about-who-is-working-in-our-kitchens/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [I just think I'm very honest and I say how I feel. Some people like that about me. Some people hate that about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-deville/i-just-think-i-m-very-honest-and-i-say-how-i-feel-some-people-like/) [Sonya Deville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-deville/) > [Can a bank that is part of this society be sure that it has no bad apples? No, because, like in all other industries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-ermotti/can-a-bank-that-is-part-of-this-society-be-sure-that-it-has-no-bad/) [Sergio Ermotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-ermotti/) > [“He had a weakness, though. All of us do, and those of us who think they do not are not being honest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/he-had-a-weakness-though-all-of-us-do-and-those-of-us-who-think-they/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) ## More by Walter Isaacson > [“he never finished any of the works he began because, so sublime was his idea of art, he saw faults even in the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/he-never-finished-any-of-the-works-he-began-because-so-sublime-was/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [He had the attitude that he could do anything, and therefore so can you. He put his life in my hands. So that made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/he-had-the-attitude-that-he-could-do-anything-and-therefore-so-can/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [But the point is to get a whole new generation of people and people in general more re-engaged in news, and this has happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/but-the-point-is-to-get-a-whole-new-generation-of-people-and-people/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“There was never a good knife made of bad steel ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/there-was-never-a-good-knife-made-of-bad-steel/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Jobs's intensity was also evident in his ability to focus. He would set priorities, aim his laser attention on them, and filter out distractions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/jobs-s-intensity-was-also-evident-in-his-ability-to-focus-he-would/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Atop the brochure McKenna put a maxim, often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, that would become the defining precept of Jobs’s design philosophy: “Simplicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/atop-the-brochure-mckenna-put-a-maxim-often-attributed-to-leonardo-da/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“The company began attracting influential new investors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/the-company-began-attracting-influential-new-investors/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“You have to remain critically vigilant.” Question every premise, challenge conventional wisdom, and never accept the truth of something merely because everyone else views…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/you-have-to-remain-critically-vigilant-question-every-premise/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“in 1996, bought NeXT, bringing Jobs back. BILL ATKINSON. Early Apple employee, developed graphics for the Macintosh. CHRISANN BRENNAN. Jobs’s girlfriend at Homestead High,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/in-1996-bought-next-bringing-jobs-back-bill-atkinson-early-apple/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“The last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/the-last-time-there-was-this-much-excitement-about-a-tablet-it-had/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/if-you-want-to-live-your-life-in-a-creative-way-as-an-artist-you-have/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“There was a key lesson for innovation: Understand which industries are symbiotic so that you can capitalize on how they will spur each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/there-was-a-key-lesson-for-innovation-understand-which-industries-are/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“CEO Gil Amelio stumbled. Ellison may have been baffled when Jobs insisted that he was not motivated by money, but it was partly true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/ceo-gil-amelio-stumbled-ellison-may-have-been-baffled-when-jobs/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Once a year Jobs took his most valuable employees on a retreat, which he called " The Top 100." They were picked based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/once-a-year-jobs-took-his-most-valuable-employees-on-a-retreat-which/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“An object will display the greatest difference of light and shade when it is seen in the strongest light. . . . But this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/an-object-will-display-the-greatest-difference-of-light-and-shade/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) [Explore all 593 Walter Isaacson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. When not trying to beat my personal best, I'm talking to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/i-never-understood-how-much-running-changes-your-life-i-m-now/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whatever needed to be done, I need to know how to do it just as well as my wife. You know, for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/whatever-needed-to-be-done-i-need-to-know-how-to-do-it-just-as-well/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I don't think my parents would have let me go straight into acting full time when I was 12. I do like to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-don-t-think-my-parents-would-have-let-me-go-straight-into-acting/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When there are multiple versions of a story, you really have three ways to go. You can pick the most sensational version. You can try to balance things in your gut to get to what you think is the honest truth. 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