Deceptive Quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero
“Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.)”
About This Quote
The quote warns that collective opinion and political structures are inherently unstable and misleading, more so than any individual reasoning.
In simple terms: Mob opinion is volatile and deceptive.
Key Takeaway
Beware of mass consensus as a guide.
Themes
politics
society
psychology
truth
power
Mood
cautious
skeptical
critical
Type
maxim
observation
warning
When to use this quote
- voting decisions
- media consumption
- policy debates
- social movements
- campaign strategies
Key Concepts
public opinion
political systems
human nature
Practical Applications
- critical analysis of polls
- designing transparent governance
Questions to Reflect On
- How does crowd mentality shape policy?
- What safeguards can reduce systemic deception?
![“That which leads us to the performance of duty by offering pleasure as its reward, is not virtue, but a deceptive copy and imitation of virtue. [Lat., Nam quae voluptate, quasi mercede aliqua, ad officium impellitur, ea non est virtus sed fallax imitatio simulatioque virtutis.]” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/07f/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_ads_that-which-leads-us-to-the-performance-o_3076771.jpg)
![“Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. [Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione quidem violari fas fuit.]” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/deb/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_hands_things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched_11960.jpg)
