Man, in spite of his fatal degradation, bears always the evident marks of his divine origin, in that every universal belief is always more or less true.
Joseph De MaistreRead
False opinions are like false money, struck first of all by guilty men and thereafter circulated by honest people who perpetuate the crime without knowing what they are doing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
False opinions can be harmful, as they are often spread by innocent individuals unaware of their origins.
This quote highlights the insidious nature of falsehoods. Even if individuals who propagate misinformation do so without ill intent, they are still contributing to a larger deception. The comparison to counterfeit money emphasizes how false opinions can circulate widely, affecting the integrity of public discourse and personal beliefs without those involved understanding the underlying deceit.
Themes
False OpinionsDeceptionMisinformationIntegrityBeliefs
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate, one might use this quote to caution against unverified claims.
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Man in harmony with his Creator is sublime, and his action is creative; equally, once he separates himself from God and acts alone, he does not cease to be powerful, since this is the privilege of his nature, but his acts are negative and lead only to destruction.
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Wherever an altar is found, there civilization exists.
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