Deceit Quote by Demosthenes
““Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Demosthenes, 4th century BCE, political oration
Self-deception aligns belief with desire, making falsehoods feel true.
In simple terms: We believe what we want to be true.
Key Takeaway
Check desires against facts.
Themes
self‑deception
belief
desire
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision‑making
- political persuasion
- ethical introspection
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
motivational reasoning
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you ever accept a belief because it feels comfortable?
- How can you test a belief’s truth?
A Different Perspective
Beliefs can be manipulated by wishful thinking.
![“Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari [living a worldly life] regardless of whether one is an ascetic or a family man. And where anger-pride-deceit-greed are absent, one is regarded as being asansaari…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7ec/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-dece_5756.jpg)
