--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stories often project the best that…" description: "\"“Stories often project the best that humanity has to offer. If only we could live up to our stories.”\" — Wayne Gerard Trotman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/wayne-gerard-trotman-3291_ethics_stories-often-project-the-best-that-huma_992596.png" --- # Stories often project the best that humanity has to offer… ![“Stories often project the best that humanity has to offer. If only we could live up to our stories.” quote by Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/wayne-gerard-trotman-3291_ethics_stories-often-project-the-best-that-huma_992596.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/wayne-gerard-trotman-3291_ethics_stories-often-project-the-best-that-huma_992596.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/wayne-gerard-trotman-3291_ethics_stories-often-project-the-best-that-huma_992596.png) > ““Stories often project the best that humanity has to offer. If only we could live up to our stories.”” [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories embody humanity's highest ideals; living up to them is a moral challenge. **In simple terms:** Stories show humanity's best; we must strive to match them. Key Takeaway Align actions with inspiring narratives. Themes inspiration humanity ethics Mood hopeful motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - leadership - community building - personal development Key Concepts literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - What story inspires you most? - How can you embody its lessons daily? A Different Perspective Idealized stories can feel unattainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-humanity-823323/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Offer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-offer-2041692/) [Humanity quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-quotes/) [Live Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-stories-2041693/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Project](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-project-2041694/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [The best of humanity is philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/the-best-of-humanity-is-philosophy/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [I speculate that this is the best of all possible worlds, for philosophy is the best of humanity, and this world is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/i-speculate-that-this-is-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds-for/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [In my view, the best of humanity is in our exercise of empathy and compassion. It's when we challenge ourselves to walk in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mcbride/in-my-view-the-best-of-humanity-is-in-our-exercise-of-empathy-and/) [Sarah McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mcbride/) > [The Internet is a collective hallucination: one of the best humanity has ever generated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-zittrain/the-internet-is-a-collective-hallucination-one-of-the-best-humanity/) [Jonathan Zittrain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-zittrain/) > [“While food makes us live, stories are what make our lives worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-kearney/while-food-makes-us-live-stories-are-what-make-our-lives-worth-living/) [Richard Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-kearney/) > [Human beings cannot live without stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-douglas/human-beings-cannot-live-without-stories/) [Ann Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-douglas/) > [I grew up in a small town with a very small library. But the books in the library opened a large place in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-dane-bauer/i-grew-up-in-a-small-town-with-a-very-small-library-but-the-books-in/) [Marion Dane Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-dane-bauer/) > [As a child, I loved story books and wanted to be in them so desperately and live the stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talulah-riley/as-a-child-i-loved-story-books-and-wanted-to-be-in-them-so/) [Talulah Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talulah-riley/) > [We tell stories to talk out the trouble in our lives, trouble otherwise so often so unspeakable. It is one of our main ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kittredge/we-tell-stories-to-talk-out-the-trouble-in-our-lives-trouble/) [William Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kittredge/) > [We live in stories the way fish live in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-taylor/we-live-in-stories-the-way-fish-live-in-water/) [Daniel Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-taylor/) > [“When you repay evil with evil, you become evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/when-you-repay-evil-with-evil-you-become-evil/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“I admire all the great people who have dedicated their free time to helping humanity move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/i-admire-all-the-great-people-who-have-dedicated-their-free-time-to/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Sometimes we fail to understand that those who don't protest are usually in the dark. For example, people who have issues with animal brutality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/sometimes-we-fail-to-understand-that-those-who-don-t-protest-are/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [“Nothing disrupts dehumanization more quickly than inviting someone over, looking into their eyes, hearing their voice, and listening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-schulman/nothing-disrupts-dehumanization-more-quickly-than-inviting-someone/) [Sarah Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-schulman/) > [“If you truly want to make World unity reality, you must be prepared to sacrifice your tribal and nationalist loyalty, and embrace your global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/if-you-truly-want-to-make-world-unity-reality-you-must-be-prepared-to/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) ## More by Wayne Gerard Trotman > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“Opportunity knocks but some people are too busy watching TV.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/opportunity-knocks-but-some-people-are-too-busy-watching-tv/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“Fashion is one of the greatest forms of manipulation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/fashion-is-one-of-the-greatest-forms-of-manipulation/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“When you repay evil with evil, you become evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/when-you-repay-evil-with-evil-you-become-evil/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“So many things seem impossible until you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/so-many-things-seem-impossible-until-you-try/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [Today, I attended a friend's birthday party dressed as a ninja. I soon discovered that ninjas are very misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/today-i-attended-a-friend-s-birthday-party-dressed-as-a-ninja-i-soon/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“To try is to accept the possibility of failure. Simply do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/to-try-is-to-accept-the-possibility-of-failure-simply-do/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“Always dress well, you’ll feel great and get better treatment from strangers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/always-dress-well-you-ll-feel-great-and-get-better-treatment-from/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [Armon stared into the wild darkness of his opponent and saw a reflection of his own fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/armon-stared-into-the-wild-darkness-of-his-opponent-and-saw-a/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [Change. Adapt. Bend so as not to be broken. Let opportunity guide your actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/change-adapt-bend-so-as-not-to-be-broken-let-opportunity-guide-your/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“One of the most devastating symptoms of pride is the unwillingness to forgive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/one-of-the-most-devastating-symptoms-of-pride-is-the-unwillingness-to/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“Laughter is much better than anger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/laughter-is-much-better-than-anger/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“Perfect understanding of the infinite requires limitless intellectual capacity; our undivided attention is better suited for humbler aspirations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/perfect-understanding-of-the-infinite-requires-limitless-intellectual/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“We should respect those able to choose love after enduring a lifetime of hate. It is the least we could do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/we-should-respect-those-able-to-choose-love-after-enduring-a-lifetime/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“May the scribes record it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/may-the-scribes-record-it/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) [Explore all 134 Wayne Gerard Trotman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) ## More Ethics quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [He who mistrusts most should be trusted least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theognis-of-megara/he-who-mistrusts-most-should-be-trusted-least/) [Theognis of Megara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theognis-of-megara/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/ethics-is-the-activity-of-man-directed-to-secure-the-inner-perfection/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Records, radio, television, movies, magazines-all are monopolized by the money managers who are guided by one ethic, the words wealth and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/records-radio-television-movies-magazines-all-are-monopolized-by-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ethics is not definable, is not implementable, because it is not conscious; it involves not only our thinking, but also our feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valdemar-w-setzer/ethics-is-not-definable-is-not-implementable-because-it-is-not/) [Valdemar W Setzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valdemar-w-setzer/) > [Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-hayes/any-time-you-give-a-man-something-he-doesn-t-earn-you-cheapen-him-our/) [Woody Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-hayes/) [Browse all 4,548 Ethics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Stories often project the best that humanity has to offer. 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