Steven MillhauserAll words are masks and the lovelier they are, the more they are meant to conceal.
About This Quote
All words are masks and the lovelier they are, the more they are meant to conceal. When we use language, we do so with some intention. We engage in conversation with some idea of what we want the other party to think of us. We may even be aware that we’re doing this, but we still do it.
The irony is that we want to let people know what we really think and feel, but we don’t actually mean those things. Words and phrases like “I love you” and “I’m sorry” communicate our feelings, but they don’t mean exactly what they say.
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