Intuitions Quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne
““When an uninstructed multitude attempts to see with its eyes, it is exceedingly apt to be deceived. When, however, it forms its judgment, as it usually does, on the intuitions of its great and warm heart, the conclusions thus attained are often so profound and so unerring as to possess the character of truth supernaturally revealed.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Scarlet Letter, 1850
Mass opinion can be easily misled, yet collective intuition often yields deep, seemingly revealed truths.
In simple terms: Crowds can be misled but also sense truth.
Key Takeaway
Question intuition, verify facts.
Themes
society
perception
intuition
Mood
reflective
cautious
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- public opinion formation
- media consumption
- group decision making
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
collective wisdom
misinformation
Questions to Reflect On
- When should we trust our gut versus data?
- How can we protect against mass deception?
A Different Perspective
Intuition may be biased; crowd consensus isn’t always accurate.
![“Most humans who have been reared with the creature comforts of the spiritually vacuous industrialized Western world will cease their search [for Truth] at the first signs of physical, psychic, or mundane resistance; or as soon as they encounter the difficulties of dissolving deeply entrenched…” quote by Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/162/zeena-schreck-12024_creature-comforts_most-humans-who-have-been-reared-with-th_1178602.jpg)
