Irvine Welsh Quotes

I spent my childhood in an imaginary world - probably because I needed an escape. I think that's one of the reasons people have imaginations - because they can't maintain existence here.

The mind, whatever else it is, is a constant of everyone's experience, and, in more ways than we know, the creator of the reality that we live within... Nothing is more essential to us.

I know movies are a function of our dream world. And when you project yourself on screen, it's easier to project yourself into what you were, not what you are.

I'm not saying I talk to cartoon characters all the time, but the characters are very real to me. In a very non-insane way.

If we are to make reality endurable, we must all nourish a fantasy or two.

As a rule, what is out of sight disturbs men’s minds more seriously than what they see.

One must be very naïve or dishonest to imagine that men choose their beliefs independently of their situation.

Maybe I need to make a change, or maybe it's living here in New York or using social media or working in media and entertainment, but I feel like I'm constantly trying to maintain this sense of, 'Why do I do what I do?'

Lying and art are very allied. But after you lie, you get to the truth.

Before you go through with an experience, think about what you expect it to feel like. Once you've experienced it, reflect on whether your expectations differed from reality.

We used to go to movies to see stories about ourselves. It would transport us to new worlds and we'd see aspects of ourselves reflected back.

We want to see ourselves - but differently. We want to see these dream versions of ourselves. We want to be surprised; we want to be entertained. I think primarily, especially in this country, we ask that movies entertain us, which seems to be something they're less and less likely to do on a continual basis.

People don't really want reality. They want theater, and that's different.

You know, sometimes there's a difference between what is actually the truth and what you perceive to be the truth through your social conditioning.

I may be crazy, but that don't make me wrong.

Reality depresses me. I need to find fantasy worlds and escape in them.

Fantasy Man's my favourite, I think, because he's sort of like Don Quixote. He lives in a fantasy world, but he gets jolted back into reality, and I guess that's me, really!

I lived so completely in my mind - a place of unchecked delusion and complete fantasy!

People don't like reality, they like crazy stories.

I have to make an effort about things like going to the grocery store. That stuff reminds me that I don't live in the real world, and you know what? I'm thankful.

A sensitive person is seldom happy with the world the way it is. And since you cannot change it, you think, 'Might as well numb the anguish.' If you're using something to escape reality, then it's something you need to address.

My mind is in another planet behind the blocks. Sometimes I'm up in the blocks, and I'm like, 'What am I doing here?' I'm just not trying to think too much.

Nature is objective, and nature is knowable, but we can only view her through a glass darkly and many clouds upon our vision are of our own making: social and cultural biases, psychological preferences, and mental limitations (in universal modes of thought, not just individualized stupidity).

I think reality is over-rated

It is impossible to survive in a prolonged state of reality, at least for human beings. We spend a good part of our lives dreaming, especially when we're awake.