Accounts Quote by Walter Lippmann
“The effort to calculate exactly what the voters want at each particular moment leaves out of account the fact that when they are troubled the thing the voters most want is to be told what to want.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Public Opinion, 1922
Voters' expressed preferences often reflect guidance rather than intrinsic desire; leaders shape wants.
In simple terms: People want direction when uncertain.
Key Takeaway
Provide informed guidance.
Themes
politics
public opinion
leadership
psychology
media
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- elections
- policy debates
- advertising campaigns
Key Concepts
agenda setting
mass persuasion
behavioral economics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you discern authentic desire?
- When is guiding appropriate?
A Different Perspective
Guidance can manipulate rather than inform.
