Attention Quote by Harry Frankfurt
“The bullshitter is neither on the side of the true or the side of the false. His eye is not on the facts at all. He does not reject the authority of the truth, as the liar does, and oppose himself to it. He pays no attention to it at all. By virtue of this, bullshit is a greater enemy of the truth than lies are.”
About This Quote
Source Book: On Bullshit, 1986
He distinguishes bullshit from lies, noting that bullshit ignores facts entirely, making it a greater threat to truth.
In simple terms: Bullshit ignores facts, worse than lies.
Key Takeaway
Beware of statements that dodge truth.
Themes
truth
deception
critical thinking
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- media analysis
- academic research
- public policy
Key Concepts
philosophy of language
ethics
information integrity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you detect bullshit?
- What responsibilities do speakers have?
A Different Perspective
Bullshit can be subtle and persuasive.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
