“Facts are generally overesteemed. For most practical purposes, a thing is what men think it is. When they judged the earth flat, it was flat. As long as men thought slavery tolerable, tolerable it was. We live down here among shadows, shadows among shadows.”
Cite this quote
APA
Updike, J. (n.d.). Facts are generally overesteemed. For most practical purposes, a thing is what men think it is. When they judged the earth flat, it was flat. As long as men thought slavery tolerable, tolerable it was. We live down here among shadows, shadows among shadows. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/16207-facts-are-generally-overesteemed-for-most-practical-purposes/
MLA
Updike, John. “Facts are generally overesteemed. For most practical purposes, a thing is what men think it is. When they judged the earth flat, it was flat. As long as men thought slavery tolerable, tolerable it was. We live down here among shadows, shadows among shadows.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/16207-facts-are-generally-overesteemed-for-most-practical-purposes/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Updike, John. “Facts are generally overesteemed. For most practical purposes, a thing is what men think it is. When they judged the earth flat, it was flat. As long as men thought slavery tolerable, tolerable it was. We live down here among shadows, shadows among shadows.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/16207-facts-are-generally-overesteemed-for-most-practical-purposes/.