It is a socialist idea that making profits is a vice; I consider the real vice is making losses.
Winston ChurchillRead
It is no use dealing with illusions and make-believes. We must look at the facts. The world ... is too dangerous for anyone to be able to afford to nurse illusions. We must look at realities.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Facing reality is essential for safety and effective decision-making.
Winston Churchill emphasizes the importance of confronting the truth rather than succumbing to false beliefs or illusions. In a world that can be perilous, understanding and accepting reality is crucial for both personal and collective safety, as ignoring the facts can lead to misguided actions and potentially dangerous outcomes.
Themes
RealityTruthIllusionFactsDanger
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about overcoming challenges, one might quote this to emphasize the need for honesty in assessing situations.
More from Winston Churchill
All quotes →The United States is like a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lit under it, there's no limit to the power it can generate.
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Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times.
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I will not pretend that if I had to choose between communism and Nazism I would choose communism.
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Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them.
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True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.
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