--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...when the public nerve is aroused, the…" description: "\"“...when the public nerve is aroused, the most impressive capacity of man is his skill for lying.”\" — Barbara Kingsolver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/barbara-kingsolver-200_barbara-kingsolver_when-the-public-nerve-is-aroused-the-mos_1027409.png" --- # ...when the public nerve is aroused, the most impressive… ![“...when the public nerve is aroused, the most impressive capacity of man is his skill for lying.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/barbara-kingsolver-200_barbara-kingsolver_when-the-public-nerve-is-aroused-the-mos_1027409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/barbara-kingsolver-200_barbara-kingsolver_when-the-public-nerve-is-aroused-the-mos_1027409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/barbara-kingsolver-200_barbara-kingsolver_when-the-public-nerve-is-aroused-the-mos_1027409.png) > ““...when the public nerve is aroused, the most impressive capacity of man is his skill for lying.”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public panic amplifies deceit; societies prone to lie when fear spreads. **In simple terms:** Fear makes people lie more. Key Takeaway Beware of fear‑driven narratives. Themes fear deception society truth Mood cautious critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political campaigns - social media crises - public health emergencies Key Concepts psychology politics media influence Questions to Reflect On - How does fear affect honesty in your community? - What safeguards protect truth? A Different Perspective Truth can persist despite fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) ## Related quotes > [“Most of them don't know what communism is, could not pick it out of a lineup. They only know what anticommunism is. 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