Falsehood Quote by Henry David Thoreau
““No way of thinking or doing, however ancient, can be trusted without proof. What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as true to-day may turn out to be falsehood to-morrow, mere smoke of opinion, which some had trusted for a cloud that would sprinkle fertilizing rain on their fields.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Walden, Henry David Thoreau, 1854
Ideas, regardless of age, need evidence; popular beliefs can be misleading and later disproven.
In simple terms: Old ideas need proof; popular belief can be false.
Key Takeaway
Demand evidence before accepting any claim.
Themes
skepticism
truth
knowledge
Mood
thoughtful
cautious
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- scientific research
- media consumption
- policy making
- personal decisions
Key Concepts
epistemology
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify long‑standing beliefs?
- What evidence would change your view?
A Different Perspective
Proof alone may be hard to obtain, leading to uncertainty.
![“A mind conscious of right laughs at the falsehoods of rumour. [Lat., Conscia mens recti famae mendacia risit.]” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/95c/ovid-276_conscious_a-mind-conscious-of-right-laughs-at-the_12185.jpg)
