Communication Quote by George Orwell
““The controversy over freedom of speech and of the press is at bottom a controversy of the desirability, or otherwise, of telling lies. What is really at issue is the right to report contemporary events truthfully, or as truthfully as is consistent with the ignorance, bias and self-deception from which every observer necessarily suffers.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Speech and Truth, 1945
Freedom of speech is challenged by the difficulty of reporting truth amid inherent biases and ignorance.
In simple terms: Truthful reporting is hard due to bias.
Key Takeaway
Seek truth, recognize bias.
Themes
freedom of speech
truth
media
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- journalism
- public discourse
- education
Key Concepts
philosophy
ethics
media studies
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify information?
- What role does bias play in your views?
A Different Perspective
Bias can distort even sincere reporting.
![“[I]t struck me how easy it is to bamboozle an uneducated audience if you have prepared beforehand a set of repartees with which to evade awkward questions." . . . "You can go on and on telling lies, and the most palpable lies at that, and even if they are not actually believed, there is no strong…” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/098/george-orwell-57_intellectual-honesty_i-t-struck-me-how-easy-it-is-to-bamboozl_2148389.jpg)
![“I watched him [a 'fat Russian agent'] with some interest, for it was the first time that I had seen a person whose profession was telling lies -- unless one counts journalists.” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/efa/george-orwell-57_agents_i-watched-him-a-fat-russian-agent-with-s_1136513.jpg)
