Every civilization sees itself as the center of the world and writes its history as the central drama of human history.
Samuel P. HuntingtonRead
Partial truths or half-truths are often more insidious than total falsehoods.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Partial truths can be more dangerous than outright lies because they can mislead more subtly.
This quote by Samuel P. Huntington highlights the danger of partial truths, suggesting that they are often more treacherous than complete falsehoods. While a total falsehood is easily recognized and dismissed, a partial truth can distort reality just enough to mislead individuals and shape perceptions without them realizing it, leading to a misunderstanding of core issues.
Themes
Partial TruthsDeceptionFalsehoodTruthMisleading
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a debate about media representations of controversial issues.
More from Samuel P. Huntington
All quotes βPower remains strong when it remains in the dark; exposed to the sunlight it begins to evaporate.
Samuel P. HuntingtonRead
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