"Most of our platitudes notwithstanding, self-deception remains the……" — Joan Didion

"Most of our platitudes notwithstanding, self-deception remains the most difficult deception. The tricks that work on others count for nothing in that very well-lit back alley where one keeps assignation with oneself: no winning smiles will do here, no prettily drawn lists of good intentions. One shuffles flashily but in vain through one's marked cards- the kindness done for the wrong reason, the apparent triumph which involved no real effort, the seemingly heroic act into which one had been shamed."

— Joan Didion

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204 Quotes by Joan Didion

Joan Didion has 204 quotes on this site. A few more worth reading:

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More Act Quotes

This quote is filed under Act Quotes, one of 8,447 quotes in that category. Here are a few more:

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