--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were concerned that the public…" description: "\"We were concerned that the public couldn't understand the sudden catastrophe, and concerned about affecting international relationship. Supported by th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/zhang-zuoji-288397_forgiveness_we-were-concerned-that-the-public-couldn_844157.jpg" --- # We were concerned that the public couldn't understand the… ![“We were concerned that the public couldn't understand the sudden catastrophe, and concerned about affecting international relationship. Supported by the central government, within less than 10 hours, we corrected this 'benevolent lie' and told public the truth, and gained their forgiveness and…” quote by Zhang Zuoji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/zhang-zuoji-288397_forgiveness_we-were-concerned-that-the-public-couldn_844157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/zhang-zuoji-288397_forgiveness_we-were-concerned-that-the-public-couldn_844157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/426/zhang-zuoji-288397_forgiveness_we-were-concerned-that-the-public-couldn_844157.jpg) > “We were concerned that the public couldn't understand the sudden catastrophe, and concerned about affecting international relationship. Supported by the central government, within less than 10 hours, we corrected this 'benevolent lie' and told public the truth, and gained their forgiveness and understanding.” [Zhang Zuoji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-zuoji/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authorities quickly corrected a misleading statement, restored truth, and regained public trust, highlighting the power of transparency. **In simple terms:** A lie was corrected fast, truth told, public forgiveness gained. Key Takeaway Prioritize honesty and swift correction. Themes politics crisis management public trust transparency government communication Mood reconciliatory trustful urgent Type Forgiveness:1 Learning:0 Politics:1 Couldn Understand:0 Public Truth:1 Told Public:1 Corrected Benevolent:1 Gained Forgiveness:1 When to use this quote - press conferences - official statements - media briefings - community outreach Key Concepts damage control ethical leadership public relations Questions to Reflect On - How can future misinformation be prevented? - What steps rebuild trust? A Different Perspective Rapid fixes may not address underlying causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corrected Benevolent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrected-benevolent-675136/) [Couldn Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-understand/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Gained Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gained-forgiveness-675137/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Public Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-truth-675134/) [Told Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-public-675135/) ## Related quotes > [Manet did not do the expected. He was a pioneer. He followed his individual whim. Told the public what he wanted it to know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/manet-did-not-do-the-expected-he-was-a-pioneer-he-followed-his/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Until we have a better relationship between private performance and the public truth, as was demonstrated with Watergate, we as the public are absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/until-we-have-a-better-relationship-between-private-performance-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“Arthur Church, who as I say took local journalism very seriously, wrote an eloquent defence of reporting even the nasty things. The gist of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/arthur-church-who-as-i-say-took-local-journalism-very-seriously-wrote/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Public truth telling is a form of recovery, especially when combined with social action. Sharing traumatic experiences with others enables victims to reconstruct repressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-n-powell/public-truth-telling-is-a-form-of-recovery-especially-when-combined/) [Lawrence N. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-n-powell/) > [The media owes the responsibility to constantly tell the public the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/the-media-owes-the-responsibility-to-constantly-tell-the-public-the/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [The last duty of a central banker is to tell the public the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-blinder/the-last-duty-of-a-central-banker-is-to-tell-the-public-the-truth/) [Alan Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-blinder/) > [“Never interpret wrong! If you couldn't understand the actual meaning of my philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-jorvee/never-interpret-wrong-if-you-couldn-t-understand-the-actual-meaning/) [Rashid Jorvee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-jorvee/) > [“loathsome Upmans. He thought, ridiculously, that she owed him something. She began to babble, regardless of the fact that he couldn’t understand a word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/loathsome-upmans-he-thought-ridiculously-that-she-owed-him-something/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [I was so ordinary, critics couldn't understand it, but looking back, that was the reason for my success. What you see is what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/i-was-so-ordinary-critics-couldn-t-understand-it-but-looking-back/) [Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/) > [“I'd never really had arguments like this before, arguments I couldn't understand properly, arguments where both sides were right and wrong all at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-d-never-really-had-arguments-like-this-before-arguments-i-couldn-t/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [The Israeli mentality was totally different to mine. They just didn't understand people like me. They couldn't understand why I had been in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-hilsenrath/the-israeli-mentality-was-totally-different-to-mine-they-just-didn-t/) [Edgar Hilsenrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-hilsenrath/) > [“Dammit, that’s not all!” Ripley shouted. She couldn’t get through to them. Could they not see? Could they not understand? “’ Cause if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-golden/dammit-that-s-not-all-ripley-shouted-she-couldn-t-get-through-to-them/) [Christopher Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-golden/) > [ “Korum couldn't understand \[Connor's\] placidity. If Mia had blushed at the touch of another man, that man's lifespan would've been numbered in minutes.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-zaires/korum-couldn-t-understand-connor-s-placidity-if-mia-had-blushed-at/) [Anna Zaires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-zaires/) > [When I was twenty, and my family were business people, and I had disappeared to India and they were like, "What are you doing?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kraftsow/when-i-was-twenty-and-my-family-were-business-people-and-i-had/) [Gary Kraftsow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kraftsow/) > [She spoke perfect English, which led to considerable trouble. She couldn't understand us at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/she-spoke-perfect-english-which-led-to-considerable-trouble-she/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) ## More Forgiveness quotes > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/forgiveness-is-not-saying-what-you-did-to-me-is-okay-it-is-saying-im/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [A Real Boyfriend does the sweetest things randomly because he never wants her to feel unappreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/a-real-boyfriend-does-the-sweetest-things-randomly-because-he-never/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [Friendship means understanding, not argument. it means forgiveness, not forgetting. it means the memories last, even if contact is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sokhom/friendship-means-understanding-not-argument-it-means-forgiveness-not/) [Sokhom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sokhom/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Have an open mind and heart. Learn to journey in understanding and forgiveness. It's not always going to be easy but it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle/have-an-open-mind-and-heart-learn-to-journey-in-understanding-and/) [Alexandra Elle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) [Browse all 8,311 Forgiveness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We were concerned that the public couldn't understand the sudden catastrophe, and concerned about affecting international relationship. 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