Quote Of The Day By John Green: 'I Want To Be Earnest, Even If...'

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Chances are, you've heard a quote from John Green before. Whether it's something you've read in one of his books, heard in a movie adaptation of one of those books, or simply spotted floating around online, John's words have certainly had an impact on the world. Born in 1977, in Indianapolis, Indiana, John gained notoriety through Vlogbrothers, a YouTube channel he launched with brother Hank Green in 2007. John is also a New York Times bestselling author of nine books (two of which he's cowritten with other authors). Five of John's books have been adapted into movies or TV shows. As of writing, his newest book, "Hollywood, Ending," releases in September 2026.

John's work has earned accolades such as a Los Angeles Book Prize, an Audie Award, an Edgar Award, the Michael L. Printz Medal, and an Indiana Authors Award. Alongside Hank, John created the nonprofit media studio Complexly. The brothers also founded the web series "Crash Course" to teach about history, science, and more. Additionally, they helm the charitable organization The Foundation to Decrease World Suck. John's poignant musings on life are why he's The List's quote of the day.

John Green once wrote, "I want to be earnest, even if it's embarrassing. I want to turn my belly to the world." This quote is excerpted from his 2021 book of essays, "The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet," and he read that particular piece on TikTok in 2023. The sentiment reminds us that vulnerability can be worth the risk.

Revealing what you truly think and who you really are is often scary. We risk judgment, backlash, and mockery. Yet, so much can be gained by taking that risk. As an essayist, John Green knows quite a bit about showing the world his true self, regardless of the negative feedback he might get. If Green wasn't willing to expose his innermost thoughts, he would never be able to create art that resonates with others. As an artist, in particular, you must overcome the fear of sharing pieces of yourself in order to create something with meaning that makes an impact. 

These days, the internet and social media have made vulnerability even more of a danger. What you put out there can more easily reach more people than ever before. Online, many folks are much more comfortable being harsh and thoughtless with their words and feedback than they likely would be face-to-face with someone. This makes people less likely to put their thoughts and feelings out there. Yet, if we all fear earnestness because of how we may be judged online or in person, then we will all become even further isolated from each other than we already are. There is so much comfort, humor, and joy to be found when we discover that someone else feels the way we do. In order to discover that, we have to be willing to put ourselves out there.

• "You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world ... but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices."
• "You don't remember what happened. What you remember becomes what happened."
• "We all know how loving ends. But I want to fall in love with the world anyway, to let it crack me open. I want to feel what there is to feel while I am here."
• "I'm not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is."
• "It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and consistently misimagined."