Edgar Allan Poe -Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see

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Welcome to The Daily Quote - a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I’m your host, Andrew McGivern, and today is October 31st... That’s right—it’s Halloween, the day when dressing up as as an axe murderer is not only encouraged but entirely appropriate. Halloween is a day to celebrate the spooky, embrace the playful darkness, and dive into the mysterious unknown.

And one unknown mystery is how much candy you can eat all at once?

For today’s quote, I’ve chosen something fitting from Edgar Allan Poe.

He said,

“Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”

Now, if there’s ever a day when this advice makes sense, it’s Halloween. Ghosts in the graveyard? Suspicious whispers in the dark? It’s probably best to question those things under normal circumstances.. but today there is a logical explanation. So, let’s dig into what Poe’s getting at here. While the idea of distrusting the senses might sound strange, it’s also strangely liberating. Halloween is a celebration of letting go of what’s normal or expected—of slipping into different identities, tapping into imagination, and embracing a bit of mystery. Maybe Poe’s saying it’s okay to approach the world with some skepticism, but also with curiosity. Just because you see a shadowy figure in the corner doesn’t mean it’s anything other than your imagination—or does it?

There’s the magic. And here’s a thought—this advice could be applied to those childhood fears too, the ones that kept you checking under the bed. With Poe’s lens, maybe you’ll remember it’s usually your own mind creating those spooky stories. But tonight? Tonight’s the night to lean into that, to let yourself believe, even for a little bit.

And outside of Halloween, in this day and age... Poe's advice hits home too. You really can't believe anything you hear and I'd say half of what you see is too much too. Now with misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories and AI deep fakes... we can't believe anything we see either.

But enough of that real life scary stuff... today is Halloween where we get to use our imagination and pretend to be whatever we want to be. So whether you’re passing out candy or donning a costume that’s scary or silly, remember Poe’s words. Let them remind you that it’s okay to doubt, to question, and maybe, just for today, to believe in a few tricks and treats that lie beyond explanation. It’s Halloween, after all. Thanks for joining me on this Halloween edition of The Daily Quote. I’ll be back tomorrow to help start your day on the right note, minus the ghosts—probably. Until then, keep your senses sharp, stay curious, and don’t let the ghouls get you. Happy Halloween!

And I'll see you tomorrow for another Daily Quote!