--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As there is no worse lie than a truth…" description: "\"As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it, so reasonable arguments, challenges to magnanimity, and appeals to sympathy o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/william-james-228_appeals_as-there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-mi_856039.png" --- # As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by… ![“As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it, so reasonable arguments, challenges to magnanimity, and appeals to sympathy or justice, are folly when we are dealing with human crocodiles and boa-constrictors.” quote by William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/william-james-228_appeals_as-there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-mi_856039.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/william-james-228_appeals_as-there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-mi_856039.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/199/william-james-228_appeals_as-there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-mi_856039.png) > “As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it, so reasonable arguments, challenges to magnanimity, and appeals to sympathy or justice, are folly when we are dealing with human crocodiles and boa-constrictors.” [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth that is misunderstood can be more harmful than a lie; rational debate fails against those who are hostile or irrational. **In simple terms:** Misunderstood truth can be worse than a lie. Key Takeaway Choose your audience wisely. Themes communication truth rationality Mood frustrated cautious Type ethical practical When to use this quote - Public speaking - debates - teaching - conflict mediation Key Concepts Epistemology psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - When should you refrain from arguing? - How do you handle irrational listeners? A Different Perspective Some truths cannot be conveyed to hostile minds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Crocodiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crocodiles/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Magnanimity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnanimity/) [Misunderstood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misunderstood/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [There is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood bu those who hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/there-is-no-worse-lie-than-a-truth-misunderstood-bu-those-who-hear-it/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I didn't like having reasonable arguments thrown at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-didn-t-like-having-reasonable-arguments-thrown-at-me/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [History does seem to repeat itself hence it's mindboggling to still hear the 'avoid all negative people' speeches from, of all people, supposedly important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/history-does-seem-to-repeat-itself-hence-it-s-mindboggling-to-still/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Sometimes people don’t want the truth. 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Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Government is the perfect portrayer of the accuracy of the axiom that if you lie big enough, long enough, the lie becomes the “truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/government-is-the-perfect-portrayer-of-the-accuracy-of-the-axiom-that/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [This is a fallen world. People lie, the truth gets distorted, and that's the way it is. 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