--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Deception can cost billions. Think Enron…" description: "\"Deception can cost billions. Think Enron, Madoff, the mortgage crisis. Or in the case of double agents and traitors, like Robert Hanssen or Aldrich Ame..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/pamela-meyer-13447_compromise_deception-can-cost-billions-think-enron_521172.jpg" --- # Deception can cost billions. Think Enron, Madoff, the… ![“Deception can cost billions. Think Enron, Madoff, the mortgage crisis. Or in the case of double agents and traitors, like Robert Hanssen or Aldrich Ames, lies can betray our country. They can compromise our security. They can undermine democracy. They can cause the deaths of those that defend us.” quote by Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/pamela-meyer-13447_compromise_deception-can-cost-billions-think-enron_521172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/pamela-meyer-13447_compromise_deception-can-cost-billions-think-enron_521172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/pamela-meyer-13447_compromise_deception-can-cost-billions-think-enron_521172.jpg) > “Deception can cost billions. Think Enron, Madoff, the mortgage crisis. Or in the case of double agents and traitors, like Robert Hanssen or Aldrich Ames, lies can betray our country. They can compromise our security. They can undermine democracy. They can cause the deaths of those that defend us.” [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deception undermines security, democracy, and lives, illustrated by major scandals and espionage betrayals. **In simple terms:** Lies damage nations and individuals. Key Takeaway Prioritize honesty and transparency. Themes deception security democracy trust Mood serious urgent Type analytical educational When to use this quote - government policy - corporate governance - personal integrity Key Concepts political science ethics national security Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions detect hidden deception? - What personal habits foster trustworthiness? A Different Perspective Deception also sometimes serves protective or strategic purposes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Deception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deception/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) ## Related quotes > [“It's like that quote: 'If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/it-s-like-that-quote-if-i-had-to-choose-between-betraying-my-country/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“Be mindful of what you say or post online, whether for social media engagement or financial incentives. Make sure your actions do not betray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/be-mindful-of-what-you-say-or-post-online-whether-for-social-media/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [Roving dogs do not indicate the civilisation or compassion of the society. They betray on the country the ignorance and lethargy of its members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/roving-dogs-do-not-indicate-the-civilisation-or-compassion-of-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“The playbook of invasion is to fracture a nation from within, destabilize it, force regime change, and install puppet leadership. It targets the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/the-playbook-of-invasion-is-to-fracture-a-nation-from-within/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-the-idea-of-causes-and-if-i-had-to-choose-between-betraying-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will not betray my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-morsi/i-will-not-betray-my-country/) [Mohammed Morsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-morsi/) > [In politics it is necessary either to betray one's country or the electorate. I prefer to betray the electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/in-politics-it-is-necessary-either-to-betray-one-s-country-or-the/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [In politics it is necessary either to betray one's country of the electorate. I prefer to betray the electorate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/in-politics-it-is-necessary-either-to-betray-one-s-country-of-the/) [Charles De Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [“There are many ways to turn someone to betray their country - money, ideology, compromise and ego work best. If they don't respond to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid-muhammad/there-are-many-ways-to-turn-someone-to-betray-their-country-money/) [Khalid Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid-muhammad/) > [If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-had-to-choose-between-betraying-my-country-and-betraying-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When a pointed question is beaten back with an attack or threat of, 'How dare you...' it's a reliable signal that deception is involved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/when-a-pointed-question-is-beaten-back-with-an-attack-or-threat-of/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Every kind of peaceful cooperation among men is primarily based on mutual trust and only secondarily on institutions such as courts of justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/every-kind-of-peaceful-cooperation-among-men-is-primarily-based-on/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) ## More by Pamela Meyer > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Con men look for human frailty to exploit. This is most often greed. Trump found a different vice: anger. The emotional are always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/con-men-look-for-human-frailty-to-exploit-this-is-most-often-greed/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [If you're an average married couple, you're going to lie to your spouse in one out of every 10 interactions. Now, you may think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/if-you-re-an-average-married-couple-you-re-going-to-lie-to-your/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [The more you talk about - and live by - your principles, the harder it will be for others to treat you in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/the-more-you-talk-about-and-live-by-your-principles-the-harder-it/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Liars do look you in the eye. They do not always stutter, stammer, blush or fidget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/liars-do-look-you-in-the-eye-they-do-not-always-stutter-stammer-blush/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Studies by several different researchers have shown that the number of lies we're told each day is anywhere from 20 - 200. To many,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/studies-by-several-different-researchers-have-shown-that-the-number/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [High-stakes lying is out of control. And it's costing us big bucks in one way or another. It's not simply a matter of quantifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/high-stakes-lying-is-out-of-control-and-it-s-costing-us-big-bucks-in/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Honest people remember stories in the order of emotional prominence, but liars will recount a story in chronological order. Memory rarely works that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/honest-people-remember-stories-in-the-order-of-emotional-prominence/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [When a pointed question is beaten back with an attack or threat of, 'How dare you...' it's a reliable signal that deception is involved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/when-a-pointed-question-is-beaten-back-with-an-attack-or-threat-of/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Truth-tellers who expect others to believe them tend to speak naturally and un-self-consciously. But if they don't expect to be believed, they may try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/truth-tellers-who-expect-others-to-believe-them-tend-to-speak/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Pummeling an answer out of someone never works. You cannot intimidate someone with aggressive language and think they'll be more forthcoming... that's a caricature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/pummeling-an-answer-out-of-someone-never-works-you-cannot-intimidate/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Lying in the political sphere has gotten out of hand, and because people tend to dismiss things that challenge their preconceived notions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/lying-in-the-political-sphere-has-gotten-out-of-hand-and-because/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Tales of cheating on school and college tests are rife. There have been instances where teachers have given students test answers in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/tales-of-cheating-on-school-and-college-tests-are-rife-there-have/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [One-year-olds learn concealment. Five-year-olds lie outright: they manipulate via flattery. Nine-year-olds - masters of the cover-up. By the time you enter college, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/one-year-olds-learn-concealment-five-year-olds-lie-outright-they/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Research indicates that a pause tends to be a signal that a cluster of deceptive cues is on its way. This is a key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/research-indicates-that-a-pause-tends-to-be-a-signal-that-a-cluster/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) [Explore all 50 Pamela Meyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) ## More Compromise quotes > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/) Ludwig Erhard > [Real love is not based upon romance,candle light,dinner and walk along beach.Infact,It's based on care,compromise,respect and trust..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-love-is-not-based-upon-romance-candle-light-dinner-and-walk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Simple answers, reductionist politics, are the most prone to compromise, to saying we’re addressing the essential issue and all that other stuff can slide.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/simple-answers-reductionist-politics-are-the-most-prone-to-compromise/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [“I’m not sure sex qualifies as R and R, but it’s a compromise I can live with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-morgen/i-m-not-sure-sex-qualifies-as-r-and-r-but-it-s-a-compromise-i-can/) Shelby Morgen > [You know what the Englishman's idea of compromise is? He says, Some people say there is a God. Some people say there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/you-know-what-the-englishman-s-idea-of-compromise-is-he-says-some/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [The human spirit will not invest itself in a compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fritz/the-human-spirit-will-not-invest-itself-in-a-compromise/) [Robert Fritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fritz/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“And what would you like, Sharie?" asked Miss Mush. "What do you have?" asked Sharie. "Potato salad". "What else is there?" asked Sharie. "Nothing"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/and-what-would-you-like-sharie-asked-miss-mush-what-do-you-have-asked/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There could be some compromise, but I think we have to stick to the provisions of the treaty, and the provisions of the treaty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-santer/there-could-be-some-compromise-but-i-think-we-have-to-stick-to-the/) [Jacques Santer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-santer/) > [Love is not only about romance, candle-lit dinners and walking hand in hand. In fact, real love is about a lifetime of compromise, commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aarti-khurana/love-is-not-only-about-romance-candle-lit-dinners-and-walking-hand-in/) [Aarti Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aarti-khurana/) [Browse all 2,076 Compromise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Deception can cost billions. Think Enron, Madoff, the mortgage crisis. 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