Bounds Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
“...most men have bound their eyes with one or another handkerchief, and attached themselves to some one of these communities of opinion. This conformity makes them not false in a few particulars, authors of a few lies, but false in all particulars. Their every truth is not quite true. Their two is not the real two, their four not the real four; so that every word they say chagrins us, and we know not where to begin to set them right.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Self-Reliance, 1841
Conformity to popular opinion distorts truth, making all statements unreliable.
In simple terms: Following the crowd warps reality.
Key Takeaway
Question your assumptions.
Themes
conformity
truth
individualism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- media consumption
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
social psychology
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does groupthink affect your judgments?
- Can you identify a belief you hold because of others?
A Different Perspective
May ignore valuable insights from majority.
