Quote by Pham Thi Hoai: “Truth is not what you see, but what you choose to believe, what you build.”

This quote challenges objective reality, positing that truth is subjective and constructed through individual or collective belief systems. It suggests that our perceptions and interpretations, rather than pure observation, largely determine what we accept as factual, highlighting the power of subjective reality.

In a politically controlled environment, Pham Thi Hoai's fiction often critiqued official narratives and explored the malleability of truth. Her work reflected the skepticism towards state-imposed realities, suggesting individuals must construct their own understanding in a world of conflicting information.

Vietnamese novelist and essayist, born in Thanh Hoa in 1960, known for her experimental prose style that broke from socialist realist conventions in Vietnamese literature. Her novel Crystal Messenger was groundbreaking in its formal innovation and her essays in exile remain an important voice in Vietnamese dissident literature.