Business Quote by Thomas Paine
““There are stages in the business of serious life in which to assume is cruel, but to deceive is to destroy; and it is of little consequence, in the conclusion, whether men deceive themselves, or submit, by a kind of mutual consent, to the impositions of each other.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Rights of Man, 1791
Deception in life can be destructive, while assuming (perhaps hopeful) can be cruel; ultimately, self‑deception or mutual consent to falsehoods matter little in the end.
In simple terms: Deception harms more than hopeful assumptions.
Key Takeaway
Beware self‑deception and mutual falsehoods.
Themes
ethics
self‑deception
truth
human behavior
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision‑making
- political discourse
- relationship dynamics
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
psychology
social contract
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you accept comforting lies?
- How do you confront self‑deception?
A Different Perspective
Even harmless assumptions can lead to harmful outcomes if unchecked.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
