The world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
William HazlittRead
People have a right to their own opinions, but not to their own facts. Evidence must be located, not created, and opinions not backed by evidence cannot be given much weight.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People can have diverse opinions, but facts must be objective and based on evidence.
This quote emphasizes the importance of differentiating between subjective opinions and objective facts. While individuals are entitled to their perspectives, valid opinions should rely on verifiable evidence rather than personal beliefs or fabrications. This highlights the necessity for critical thinking and the integrity of information in discussions.
Themes
OpinionsFactsEvidenceTruthReasoning
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about climate change, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of scientific evidence over personal beliefs.
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