Quotes About Self-deception

It is a self-deception of philosophers and moralists to imagine that they escape decadence by opposing it. That is beyond their will; and, however little they acknowledge it, one later discovers that they were among the most powerful promoters of decadence.

The most common sort of lie is that by which a man deceives himself: the deception of others is a relatively rare offense.

Whoever does not believe himself always lies.

An instinct is weakened when it rationalises itself: for by rationalising itself it weakens itself.

Socrate considérait que c'est un mal qui n'est pas loin de la folie, de s'imaginer que l'on possède une vertu, alors qu'on ne la possède pas. Certes, une pareille illusion est plus dangereuse que l'illusion contraire qui consiste à croire que l'on souffre d'un défaut, d'un vice. Deuxième Considération intempestive, ch. 6

A fool is wise in his eyes.

A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.

Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.

I think people deceive themselves about themselves, particularly as they get older.

What is a sophisticate? He is a man who thinks he can swim better than he can and sometimes he drowns.

He who thinks he is raising a mound may only in reality be digging a pit.

Illusions, distortions, and self-deception appear to be integral to the way normal, well-adjusted people perceive the world. Seeing things as they really are is associated with depression and low self-esteem.

Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears.

Two lusts breed in the soul of man: the lust for aggresion, and the lust for telling lies. If one will not allow himself to wrong others, he will wrong himself. If he doesn't come across anyone to lie to, he will lie to himself in his own thoughts.

I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.

En korkunç yalan da budur: Kendimize kar?? bile kullanacak kadar pençesine dü?tü?ümüz bu derin ve gizli yalan...

Güzelli?e hücum edenler içlerinde ve d??lar?nda güzelli?in en ufak bir eserini bile ta??mayanlar ve güzel bir ?ey yapmaya asla muktedir olmayanlard?r. Onlar böylece kendi mahrumiyetlerinin intikam?n? ald?klar?n? zannederler.

If anyone can give me good reason to think that I am going astray in my thoughts or my actions, I will gladly change my ways. For I seek the truth, which has never caused harm to anyone; no, the person who is harmed is one who persists in his self-deception and ignorance. 22

If any one can prove and bring home to me that a conception or act of mine is wrong, I will amend it, and be thankful. For I seek the truth, whereby no one was ever harmed. But he is harmed who persists in his own self-deception and ignorance.

Excuse this digression. At my age you indulge in these apocalyptic visions. You say, The end of the world is at hand. You lie to yourself - I'm glad I won't be around to see it - when in fact you'd like nothing better, as long as you can watch it through the little secret window, as long as you won't be involved. But why bother about the end of the world? It's the end of the world every day, for someone. Time rises and rises, and when it reaches the level of your eyes you drown.

Everyone likes to think they are doing good while at the same time pocketing a bag of cash

I made a pretty suit of clothes and fell in love with it. And when Ashley came riding along, so handsome, so different, I put that suit on him and made him wear it whether it fitted him or not. And I wouldn't see what he really was. I kept on loving the pretty clothes—and not him at all.

Young men are apt to think themselves wise enough, as drunken men are apt to think themselves sober enough.

Be sure that you are not deceiving yourself at any time about actual conditions.