Original artwork, not a still
It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.
— Calvin and Hobbes · 1985
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Calvin turns wilful ignorance into a stated policy: reality is a menu, and he orders only what he likes. Fans quote it whenever they are dodging a deadline, a diagnosis or a bad review, because it admits the avoidance while refusing to call it denial. The joke is that a six-year-old has put it more crisply than most adults manage.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Calvin and HobbesShow the scene
Calvin, the six-year-old star of Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes, says this in the daily strip that ran in newspapers from 18 November 1985 to 31 December 1995. It is one of his many answers to an unwelcome fact, delivered in the self-assured tone he uses for everything from homework to bedtime. The line circulates widely as a standalone Calvin quote, and has been used as the title of at least one essay on the strip.
Sources (2)
- Calvin and Hobbes, WikipediapageReference checked
- Humag essay on the linesearch resultReference checked
Context reviewed
