Misinterpreting Quotes & Sayings

[L]ife is a phenomenon in need of criticism, for we are, as fallen creatures, in permanent danger of worshipping false gods, of failing to understand ourselves and misinterpreting the behaviour of others, of growing unproductively anxious or desirous, and of losing ourselves to vanity and error. Surreptitiously and beguilingly, then, with humour or gravity, works of art
novels, poems, plays, paintings or films
can function as vehicles to explain our condition to us. They may act as guides to a truer, more judicious, more intelligent understanding of the world. — Alain De Botton

Learning stamps you with its moments. Childhood's learning is made up of moments. It isn't steady. It's a pulse. — Eudora Welty

I don't believe in being lazy, but I do think that this "big kid" thing may just be misinterpreting people who are taking advantage of all their opportunities and not tying themselves down to traditional gender roles or traditional life roles. — Desiree Akhavan

1 in 3 Native women will be raped in her lifetime (and that figure is certainly higher as Native women often do not report rape); 86 percent of rapes and sexual assaults upon Native women are perpetrated by non-Native men; few are prosecuted. — Louise Erdrich

There are more nasty things in pretty packages in the world than most people would believe. — Mercedes Lackey

Being a unique superpower undermines the military intelligence of strategy. To think strategically, one has to imagine oneself in the enemy's place. If one cannot do this, it is impossible to foresee, to take by surprise, to outflank. Misinterpreting an enemy can lead to defeat. This is how empires fall. — John Berger

I think the Bible should be re-written for today's society. We can call it 'Scrubs.' — Zach Braff

There is no separation of church and state. Modern US Supreme Courts have raped the Constitution and raped the Christian faith and raped the churches by misinterpreting what the Founders had in mind in the First Amendment to the Constitution. — Jerry Falwell

I'm sure there are a few things in my CD collection that might surprise people. I like classical music, the blues, and I'm a big fan of alternative rock. — Brad Paisley

I once heard somebody say that God has closed a door on an opportunity they had hoped for. But I've always wondered if, when we want to do something that we know is right and good, God places that desire deep in our hearts because He wants to for us and it honors Him. Maybe there are times when we think a door has been closed and, instead of misinterpreting the circumstances, God want us to kick it down. Or perhaps just sit outside of it long enough until somebody tells us we can come in. — Bob Goff

But no, he'd touched her before. It was only when she tried to touch him that he had a problem.
The hell with it, she thought. She wasn't trying to get into his non-existent pants, and this was about survival. He might be misinterpreting her actions but he'd figure it out when nothing happened. At this point, she was ready to back him into a corner if she had to. Chasing him around the cell would keep her warm at least. — V.C. Lancaster

She logged in and read a few of her old posts, smiling at the issues she had raged about and shaking her head at how some of the rants now seemed pretentious and judgmental. She had grown so much without even realizing she had. Mythili typed out the draft, spicing it up subtly and after a last read, she published it. Admiring the brand new post on her main page, she realized she missed writing. She had barely written anything since her last by-line. Typing this out, she felt like she was back with a long-lost friend who understood her. It was like snuggling up in a warm blanket when a thunderstorm raged outside. — Shweta Ganesh Kumar

The human condition today is better than it's ever been, and technology is one of the reasons for that. — Tom Clancy

Once you go silent everyone starts misinterpreting what your silence says. — Jasmine Sandozz

Even more precious is his Edward writes, I'm always saying that it is not the spirits who are getting it wrong; it's more likely that I am misinterpreting their messages. — John Edward

No one, not even lovers, are truly psychic, and everyone flounders around each other, misunderstanding, misinterpreting, sending out confusing signals. — Storm Constantine

They were always doing that to each other, misinterpreting, imagining the worst. No wonder every conversation bruised one or the other. — Kristin Hannah

Somewhere along the line we started misinterpreting the First Amendment and this idea of the freedom of speech the amendment grants us. We are free to speak as we choose without fear of prosecution or persecution, but we are not free to speak as we choose without consequence. — Roxane Gay

My mouth opened as did the door behind us. Stomach dropping, I turned to see Mom standing there in all her fuzzy-bunny pajama glory. Oh for the love of God. Her eyes went from me to Daemon, completely misinterpreting everything. The glee in her eyes made me want to vomit on Daemon's head. — Jennifer L. Armentrout

I.P. was at that age when our sense of who we are, or of who we have been told we are, chafes against what we discover in our reading. And immediately a choice seems to appear: to let the reading show us the way forward, like water picking its course over unfamiliar ground; or to direct the reading, to channel the stream, so that it confirms what we already think we know. I.P. was among those few people who could do the former. He had a mind that welcomed doubt and uncertainty; he revelled in it, in fact; he was not one to ever make the perilous decision of deciding to know. His mind was happy to grope its way to its own conclusions, happy to breathe easy in a state of unknowing. — Aatish Taseer

Dear parents, have great patience, and forgive from the depths of your heart. — Pope Francis

I have met many Masters and most have an abundance of flaws and social failings. However, the one thing that separates them from the rest of us is their fearless ability to walk their own path regardless of the opinions of others. — Gary Hopkins

But I've always wondered if, when we want to do something that we know is right and good, God places that desire deep in out hearts because He wants it for us and it honors Him. Maybe there are times when we think a door has been close and, instead of misinterpreting the circumstances, God wants us to kick it down. Or perhaps just sit outside of it long enough until somebody tells us we can some in. — Bob Goff

I promised Ian's wife, Julia, that I would video record Ian if I could and email the recording to her later." Lachlan drew in an audible breath, and she couldn't tell whether he was amused or worried. "You know Ian's wife? — Terry Spear

And grade every simile and metaphor from one star to five, and remove any threes or below. It hurts when you operate, but afterwards you feel much better. — David Mitchell

I wanted to feel like I could extend someone else's joy and not crush it, and that is the giant paradox nowadays of being a powerful woman: you want to live in a space of compassion and helpfulness and joy and expression, and the world is standing there, pointing the finger at you and telling you that you're greedy and domineering and attention-grabbing, and all you can do is shrug and just say, "Hopefully, someone out there understands and isn't misinterpreting." — Amanda Palmer

I don't worry about people misinterpreting my kindness for weakness. — Jason Bateman

What is the good of faith if this is the result? A city full of people misinterpreting their god's commands? A world of ash and pain and death and sorrow? — Brandon Sanderson