Candide Quote by Christopher Hitchens
“Kissinger projects a strong impression of a man at home in the world and on top of his brief. But there are a number of occasions when it suits him to pose as a sort of Candide: naive, and ill-prepared for and easily unhorsed by events. No doubt this pose costs him something in point of self-esteem. It is a pose, furthermore, which he often adopts at precisely the time when the record shows him to be knowledgeable, and when knowledge or foreknowledge would also confront him with charges of responsibility or complicity.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Trial of Henry Kissinger, Christopher Hitchens, 2001
Kissinger sometimes adopts a naive, unprepared persona to avoid responsibility, especially when his knowledge could implicate him.
In simple terms: He pretends innocence to dodge accountability.
Key Takeaway
Beware of feigned ignorance as a defense.
Themes
politics
responsibility
image
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- diplomacy
- media interviews
- policy decisions
Key Concepts
ethics
public perception
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you hidden behind a façade?
- What are the costs of avoiding accountability?
A Different Perspective
Such poses can erode credibility and self-respect.
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