--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oftentimes it’s easier for lunatics to…" description: "\"“Oftentimes it’s easier for lunatics to attract impassioned followers than it is for sensible people to get people to listen to reason. People are ofte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/terry-goodkind-924_lies_oftentimes-it-s-easier-for-lunatics-to-a_2505477.jpg" --- # Oftentimes it’s easier for lunatics to attract impassioned… ![“Oftentimes it’s easier for lunatics to attract impassioned followers than it is for sensible people to get people to listen to reason. People are often more willing to believe lies than the truth. Lies can be made to sound pleasant. The truth, by its very nature, isn’t always so attractive. “That…” quote by Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/terry-goodkind-924_lies_oftentimes-it-s-easier-for-lunatics-to-a_2505477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/terry-goodkind-924_lies_oftentimes-it-s-easier-for-lunatics-to-a_2505477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/terry-goodkind-924_lies_oftentimes-it-s-easier-for-lunatics-to-a_2505477.jpg) > ““Oftentimes it’s easier for lunatics to attract impassioned followers than it is for sensible people to get people to listen to reason. People are often more willing to believe lies than the truth. Lies can be made to sound pleasant. The truth, by its very nature, isn’t always so attractive. “That leaves peaceful people no choice but to fight for their lives or fall to the blades of madmen. In such a situation, there is no middle ground. There is no such thing as compromise between civilization and savagery. Civilization must always defend itself against savagery or else fall to it.”” [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful, charismatic leaders can sway masses more easily than rational arguments, leading societies to choose conflict over compromise. **In simple terms:** Charismatic leaders win over reason; truth is less appealing. Key Takeaway Guard against demagoguery; value reason. Themes leadership mass persuasion civilization conflict truth Mood cautious concerned reflective Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigns - media discourse - community debates - education curricula - social media moderation Key Concepts psychology political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can societies foster critical thinking? - What safeguards protect truth? A Different Perspective Charisma can be manipulated; rational discourse may be ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Middle ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-ground/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Richard straightened with a sigh. "People are often more willing to believe lies than truth. Lies can be made to sound pleasant. The truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/richard-straightened-with-a-sigh-people-are-often-more-willing-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [There is no such thing as compromising between civilization and savagery. Civilization must always defend itself against savagery or else fall to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/there-is-no-such-thing-as-compromising-between-civilization-and/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“The newest truth about truth lies in the truth that human truths can lie, when they are parts-of-the-truth. Call them 'white-lies' or 'black-truths', they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caesar-j-b-squitti/the-newest-truth-about-truth-lies-in-the-truth-that-human-truths-can/) Caesar J. B. Squitti > [“In the lie of truth lies the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/in-the-lie-of-truth-lies-the-truth/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“I know someone said that even a really bad liar tells more truth than lies, but you still can't tell what are lies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-rendell/i-know-someone-said-that-even-a-really-bad-liar-tells-more-truth-than/) [Ruth Rendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-rendell/) > [“Politics: Lies about the truth, or the truth about lies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silverwolf/politics-lies-about-the-truth-or-the-truth-about-lies/) Silverwolf > [There are only two things. Truth and lies. Truth is indivisible, hence it cannot recognize itself; anyone who wants to recognize it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/there-are-only-two-things-truth-and-lies-truth-is-indivisible-hence/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [What if the truth where the lies and the lies where the truth? will there ever be a word called HONESTY?.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul/what-if-the-truth-where-the-lies-and-the-lies-where-the-truth-will/) [Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul/) > [“Blessed are the mighty-minded, for they shall ride the whirlwinds- Cursed are they who teach lies for truth and truth for lies, for they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/blessed-are-the-mighty-minded-for-they-shall-ride-the-whirlwinds/) [Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/) > [“One lies in truth, One truth is lies. One path is death, One path is life. One question asked, The path to guide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/one-lies-in-truth-one-truth-is-lies-one-path-is-death-one-path-is/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [Civilization is only savagery silver-gilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rider-haggard/civilization-is-only-savagery-silver-gilt/) [H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rider-haggard/) > [It is a fine line, in all of us, between civilization and savagery. To any who think they would never cross it, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/it-is-a-fine-line-in-all-of-us-between-civilization-and-savagery-to/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [One difference between savagery and civilization is a little courtesy. There's no telling what a lot of courtesy would do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cullen-hightower/one-difference-between-savagery-and-civilization-is-a-little-courtesy/) [Cullen Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cullen-hightower/) > [Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind. The difference lies not in the respective natures of savagery and civilization, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/savage-peoples-are-ruled-by-passion-civilized-peoples-by-the-mind-the/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [The African tribesman, with his complete contempt for truth and his emphasis on brutality and savagery for others but not for himself, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-african-tribesman-with-his-complete-contempt-for-truth-and-his/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) ## More by Terry Goodkind > [Sometimes, it is necessary to step beyond what you have known and to reach for something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-step-beyond-what-you-have-known-and-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“It should hurt, shouldn’t it? Shouldn’t it hurt to be ripped in half? But it didn’t. It didn’t hurt the least little bit. Cold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/it-should-hurt-shouldn-t-it-shouldn-t-it-hurt-to-be-ripped-in-half/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Dancing with death meant being committed to killing, committed with your heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/dancing-with-death-meant-being-committed-to-killing-committed-with/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Sometimes it's more important to seize the chance and do what you can even knowing that it won't likely account for everything, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-s-more-important-to-seize-the-chance-and-do-what-you-can/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“While it was understandable to be afraid, and no one would expect you not to be, the worst thing you could do was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/while-it-was-understandable-to-be-afraid-and-no-one-would-expect-you/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Leadership is a nurturing of those under your command.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/leadership-is-a-nurturing-of-those-under-your-command/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“To question me once is a simple mistake, Lieutenant. Twice is treason. We execute traitors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/to-question-me-once-is-a-simple-mistake-lieutenant-twice-is-treason/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Fate does not seek our consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/fate-does-not-seek-our-consent/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Wizard's Third Rule Passion rules reason, For better or for worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/wizard-s-third-rule-passion-rules-reason-for-better-or-for-worse/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Nicci looked up at Kahlan. “Knives are not my talent.” “It’s not hard,” Kahlan said as she pressed the handle into Nicci’s hand. “When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/nicci-looked-up-at-kahlan-knives-are-not-my-talent-it-s-not-hard/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“This was why he couldn’t let Richard know it was the chimes themselves that were loose. Richard would not have accepted what Zedd intended,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/this-was-why-he-couldn-t-let-richard-know-it-was-the-chimes/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“price. There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil, least of all in people. In the best of us there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/price-there-is-no-such-thing-as-pure-good-or-pure-evil-least-of-all/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [The first step to believing something is true is wanting to believe it is true... or being afraid it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-first-step-to-believing-something-is-true-is-wanting-to-believe/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [...you'll find that being a friend is to like a person for who they are, even the parts you don't understand. You don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/you-ll-find-that-being-a-friend-is-to-like-a-person-for-who-they-are/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) [Explore all 323 Terry Goodkind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## More Lies quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [Heaven lies around us in our infancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/heaven-lies-around-us-in-our-infancy/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-are-no-white-lies-there-is-only-the-blackest-of-destruction-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“What shapes us is not always our achievements but our omissions. Not lies; simply the truths we don’t tell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-tudor/what-shapes-us-is-not-always-our-achievements-but-our-omissions-not/) [C.J. Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-tudor/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The greatest gift you can give to those around you is honesty. Sometimes honest words may sting the heart, but dishonesty pierces deep into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-to-those-around-you-is-honesty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“It's the basic truth of the human condition: everybody lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/house/it-s-the-basic-truth-of-the-human-condition-everybody-lies/) [house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/house/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Words To Remember: Nobody's phone is ever off. They're lying...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-to-remember-nobody-s-phone-is-ever-off-they-re-lying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [“I'm over your lies and I'm over your games. I'm over you asking me when you know I'm not okay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-mcphee/i-m-over-your-lies-and-i-m-over-your-games-i-m-over-you-asking-me/) [Katharine McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-mcphee/) > [“DIGITAL TRUTH DIGITAL LIES • Searches • Social media posts • Views • Social media likes • Clicks • Dating profiles • Swipes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-stephens-davidowitz/digital-truth-digital-lies-searches-social-media-posts-views-social/) [Seth Stephens-Davidowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-stephens-davidowitz/) > [You said you loved me, You said you cared for me, you said you wouldn't let anything happen to me. Then we got into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nohaterzz/you-said-you-loved-me-you-said-you-cared-for-me-you-said-you-wouldn-t/) NoHaterzz [Browse all 4,881 Lies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oftentimes it’s easier for lunatics to attract impassioned followers than it is for sensible people to get people to listen to reason. People are often more willing to believe lies than the truth. Lies can be made to sound pleasant. The truth, by its very nature, isn’t always so attractive. “That leaves peaceful people no choice but to fight for their lives or fall to the blades of madmen. In such a situation, there is no middle ground. There is no such thing as compromise between civilization and savagery. 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