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Only the small secrets need to be protected. The large ones are kept secret by public incredulity.
Marshall Mcluhan
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Lesser secrets require more protection, while the bigger truths are often ignored by society.

This quote by Marshall McLuhan suggests that minor secrets are vulnerable and need to be safeguarded, while greater secrets or truths are often dismissed by the public simply because they seem too incredible or unbelievable. It underscores a perspective on how society handles information, where larger truths go unnoticed, allowing them to remain safeguarded by the very disbelief of the masses.

Themes

SecretsTruthPublicIncredulityPhilosophy

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the nature of truth in journalism, this quote can illustrate how public perception shapes the disclosure of information.

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The poet, the artist, the sleuth, whoever sharpens our perception tends to antisocial; rarely 'well adjusted,' he cannot go along with currents and trends.
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