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About this quote

What does it mean?
To fully understand an event, report it multiple times from different perspectives and moods, because initial perception is limited.
In plain terms
Multiple reports from varied views reveal the whole truth.
What can you take from it?
Seek diverse viewpoints to grasp complex situations.

Where it applies

  • journalism
  • research
  • conflict resolution

Putting it to work

  • write multiple drafts
  • consult varied witnesses

Questions to consider

  • How many angles do you need for clarity?
  • When does seeking more views hinder decision‑making?

Another view

Too many perspectives can cause analysis paralysis.

More from Henry David Thoreau

  1. It is in vain to dream of a wildness distant from ourselves.

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  2. The commonest and cheapest sounds, as the barking of a dog, produce the same effect on fresh and healthy ears that the rarest music does. It depends on your ap…

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  3. This bird sees the white man come and the Indian withdraw, but it withdraws not. Its untamed voice is still heard above the tinkling of the forge... It remains…

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