Benign Quote by Jeffrey Pfeffer
“Lying is common in social life, often done for benign purposes, seldom draws severe sanctions, and many of the most notable leaders, including the late Steve Jobs, were consummate prevaricators. Told with enough persistence and conviction, what was once untrue can become true, in a self-fulfilling prophecy sort of way.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don't, Jeffrey Pfeffer, 2010
People often lie for harmless reasons; repeated falsehoods can reshape reality through belief and social pressure.
In simple terms: Lying can become truth when repeated.
Key Takeaway
Beware of repeated false narratives.
Themes
ethics
communication
leadership
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- political speeches
- marketing campaigns
- personal relationships
- media narratives
Key Concepts
social psychology
propaganda
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you seen a lie become accepted as truth?
- What safeguards can prevent self‑fulfilling falsehoods?
A Different Perspective
Persistent lies can erode trust and create harmful realities.
![“Positive self-expectancy is the first, most outwardly identifiable quality of a top-achieving, winning human being. Positive self-expectancy is pure and simple optimism: real enthusiasm for everything you do... [while] expecting the most favorable result from your own actions. There never was a…” quote by Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a38/denis-waitley-977_achieve_positive-self-expectancy-is-the-first-mo_171130.jpg)
