Humbug Quote by William T. Sherman
““Vox populi, vox Humbug.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: “Vox Populi, Vox Humbug,” 1865
The people’s voice can be deceptive and misleading.
In simple terms: Public opinion may be false.
Key Takeaway
Critically evaluate popular sentiment.
Themes
politics
media
truth
critical thinking
Mood
skeptical
cautious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- elections
- public debates
- social media trends
Key Concepts
history
rhetoric
mass communication
Questions to Reflect On
- When should we trust the majority?
- How to discern truth from hype?
A Different Perspective
Not all popular ideas are harmful; some can be beneficial.
![“The politics of that year [2004] are old now, but the problem remains the same, the real culture clash of American life. It's between the essence of fundamentalism - paternalism, authority, and charity - and the messy imperatives of democracy, "the din of the vox populi" once derided by Abram…” quote by Jeff Sharlet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c76/jeff-sharlet-22680_abram_the-politics-of-that-year-2004-are-old-n_2979055.jpg)
![“I hear [my Twitter followers] say, you know, 'Bob Rae, you're an asshole'. [...] I'm working my way and trying to represent the people and speaking in Question Period and here we have vox populi, the thoughtful man on the street, 'you are an asshole!'. Thank you very much. I read it on my Twitter…” quote by Bob Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cac/bob-rae-55461_asks_i-hear-my-twitter-followers-say-you-know_2692356.jpg)
![“[You write out of the] desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, etc., etc., etc. It is humbug to pretend this is not a motive and a strong one.” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ec0/george-orwell-57_after-death_you-write-out-of-the-desire-to-seem-clev_278654.jpg)
