Self Deception Quotes
Most popular self-deception quotes
![Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world. - Arthur Schopenhauer quote.](/img/q/62/6262A-every-man-takes-the-limits-of-his-own-field-vision-arthur-schopenhauer.png)
Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.
![We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves. - Eric Hoffer quote.](/img/q/75/14775A-we-lie-loudest-when-we-lie-ourselves-eric-hoffer.png)
We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.
![It's the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself. - Benjamin Franklin quote.](/img/q/94/19794A-its-the-easiest-thing-in-the-world-man-deceive-himself-benjamin-franklin.png)
It's the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself.
![If tempted by something that feels "altruistic," examine your motives and root out that self-deception. Then, if you still want to do it, wallow in it! - Robert A. Heinlein quote.](/img/q/45/25845A-if-tempted-by-something-that-feels-altruistic-examine-your-motives-robert-a-heinlein.png)
If tempted by something that feels "altruistic," examine your motives and root out that self-deception. Then, if you still want to do it, wallow in it!
![Every man, wherever he goes, is encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions, which move with him like flies on a summer day. - Bertrand Russell quote.](/img/q/64/28664A-every-man-wherever-he-goes-is-encompassed-by-cloud-comforting-bertrand-russell.png)
Every man, wherever he goes, is encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions, which move with him like flies on a summer day.
![The coward regards himself as cautious, the miser as thrifty. - Publilius Syrus quote.](/img/q/03/28803A-the-coward-regards-himself-as-cautious-miser-as-thrifty-publilius-syrus.png)
The coward regards himself as cautious, the miser as thrifty.
![It is as easy to deceive ourselves without noticing as it is hard to deceive others without their noticing. - François de La Rochefoucauld quote.](/img/q/94/29194A-it-is-as-easy-to-deceive-ourselves-without-noticing-as-francois-de-la-rochefoucauld.png)
It is as easy to deceive ourselves without noticing as it is hard to deceive others without their noticing.
![It is amazing how people deceive themselves and others when it is in their interest to do so. - Jawaharlal Nehru quote.](/img/q/00/29200A-it-is-amazing-how-people-deceive-themselves-others-when-it-jawaharlal-nehru.png)
It is amazing how people deceive themselves and others when it is in their interest to do so.
![For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan quote.](/img/q/81/29281A-for-me-it-is-far-better-grasp-universe-as-it-carl-sagan.png)
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
![Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves. - Carl Sagan quote.](/img/q/93/30093A-where-we-have-strong-emotions-were-liable-fool-ourselves-carl-sagan.png)
Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves.
![We do not deal much in fact when we are contemplating ourselves. - Mark Twain quote.](/img/q/82/30682A-we-do-not-deal-much-in-fact-when-we-are-mark-twain.png)
We do not deal much in fact when we are contemplating ourselves.
![There is no such flatterer as is a man's self. - Francis Bacon quote.](/img/q/38/31138A-there-is-no-such-flatterer-as-is-mans-self-francis-bacon.png)
There is no such flatterer as is a man's self.
![We are not very good at recognizing illusions, least of all the ones we cherish about ourselves. - Thomas Merton quote.](/img/q/08/33408A-we-are-not-very-good-at-recognizing-illusions-least-all-thomas-merton.png)
We are not very good at recognizing illusions, least of all the ones we cherish about ourselves.
![Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky quote.](/img/q/46/34646A-above-all-do-not-lie-to-yourself-man-who-lies-fyodor-dostoyevsky.png)
Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others.
![It is not because the truth is too difficult to see that we make mistakes. It may even lie on the surface; but we make mistakes because the easiest and most comfortable course for us is to seek insight where it accords with our emotions—especially selfish ones. - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn quote.](/img/q/74/35974A-it-is-not-because-the-truth-is-too-difficult-see-aleksandr-solzhenitsyn.png)
It is not because the truth is too difficult to see that we make mistakes. It may even lie on the surface; but we make mistakes because the easiest and most comfortable course for us is to seek insight where it accords with our emotions—especially selfish ones.
![What we believe to be the motives of our conduct are usually but the pretexts for it. - Miguel de Unamuno quote.](/img/q/06/36206A-what-we-believe-to-be-the-motives-our-conduct-are-miguel-de-unamuno.png)
What we believe to be the motives of our conduct are usually but the pretexts for it.
![Men have an extraordinarily erroneous opinion of their position in nature; and the error is ineradicable. - W. Somerset Maugham quote.](/img/q/32/37832A-men-have-an-extraordinarily-erroneous-opinion-their-position-nature-error-w-somerset-maugham.png)
Men have an extraordinarily erroneous opinion of their position in nature; and the error is ineradicable.
![Rationalization may be defined as self-deception by reasoning. - Karen Horney quote.](/img/q/77/38577A-rationalization-may-be-defined-as-self-deception-by-reasoning-karen-horney.png)
Rationalization may be defined as self-deception by reasoning.
![The fly sat upon the axel-tree of the chariot wheel and said, "What a dust do I raise!" - Aesop quote.](/img/q/72/39472A-the-fly-sat-upon-the-axel-tree-chariot-wheel-said-aesop.png)
The fly sat upon the axel-tree of the chariot wheel and said, "What a dust do I raise!"
![The man who suspects his own tediousness is yet to be born. - Thomas Bailey Aldrich quote.](/img/q/73/39473A-the-man-who-suspects-his-own-tediousness-is-yet-be-thomas-bailey-aldrich.png)
The man who suspects his own tediousness is yet to be born.
![Self-esteem, n. An erroneous appraisement. - Ambrose Bierce quote.](/img/q/75/39475A-self-esteem-n-an-erroneous-appraisement-ambrose-bierce.png)
Self-esteem, n. An erroneous appraisement.
![O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It would frae mony a blunder free us,
And foolish notion. - Robert Burns quote.](/img/q/76/39476A-o-wad-some-powr-the-giftie-gie-us-see-oursels-robert-burns.png)
O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us! It would frae mony a blunder free us, And foolish notion.
![Self-deception once yielded to, all other deceptions follow naturally more and more. - Thomas Carlyle quote.](/img/q/77/39477A-self-deception-once-yielded-to-all-other-deceptions-follow-naturally-thomas-carlyle.png)
Self-deception once yielded to, all other deceptions follow naturally more and more.
![No fathers or mothers think their own children ugly; and this self-deceit is yet stronger with respect to the offspring of the mind. - Cervantes quote.](/img/q/78/39478A-no-fathers-or-mothers-think-their-own-children-ugly-this-cervantes.png)
No fathers or mothers think their own children ugly; and this self-deceit is yet stronger with respect to the offspring of the mind.
![Most of our platitudes notwithstanding, self-deception remains the most difficult deception. The tricks that work on others count for nothing in that very well-lit back alley where one keeps assignations with oneself. - Joan Didion quote.](/img/q/79/39479A-most-of-our-platitudes-notwithstanding-self-deception-remains-most-difficult-joan-didion.png)
Most of our platitudes notwithstanding, self-deception remains the most difficult deception. The tricks that work on others count for nothing in that very well-lit back alley where one keeps assignations with oneself.
![We are most deeply asleep at the switch when we fancy we control any switches at all. - Annie Dillard quote.](/img/q/80/39480A-we-are-most-deeply-asleep-at-switch-when-we-fancy-annie-dillard.png)
We are most deeply asleep at the switch when we fancy we control any switches at all.
Self-deception, n. The low road to peace of mind.
![Self-deception is sometimes as necessary a tool as a crowbar. - Moss Hart quote.](/img/q/83/39483A-self-deception-is-sometimes-as-necessary-tool-as-crowbar-moss-hart.png)
Self-deception is sometimes as necessary a tool as a crowbar.
![No estimate is more in danger of erroneous calculation than those by which a man computes the force of his own genius. - Samuel Johnson quote.](/img/q/87/39487A-no-estimate-is-more-in-danger-erroneous-calculation-than-those-samuel-johnson.png)
No estimate is more in danger of erroneous calculation than those by which a man computes the force of his own genius.
![Every stink that fights the ventilator thinks it is Don Quixote. - Stanisław Jerzy Lec quote.](/img/q/89/39489A-every-stink-that-fights-the-ventilator-thinks-it-is-don-stanislaw-jerzy-lec.png)
Every stink that fights the ventilator thinks it is Don Quixote.
![The ingenuity of self-deception is inexhaustible. - Hannah More quote.](/img/q/92/39492A-the-ingenuity-of-self-deception-is-inexhaustible-hannah-more.png)
The ingenuity of self-deception is inexhaustible.
![The most common sort of lie is the one uttered to one's self. - Friedrich Nietzsche quote.](/img/q/94/39494A-the-most-common-sort-of-lie-is-one-uttered-ones-friedrich-nietzsche.png)
The most common sort of lie is the one uttered to one's self.
![We all have our little illusions about our own mental capacities. - Cornelia Otis Skinner quote.](/img/q/99/39499A-we-all-have-our-little-illusions-about-our-own-mental-cornelia-otis-skinner.png)
We all have our little illusions about our own mental capacities.
![I try not to kid myself. You know, I don't mind romancing someone else, but to fool yourself is pretty devastating and dangerous. - Bill Veeck quote.](/img/q/70/53670A-i-try-not-to-kid-myself-you-know-i-dont-bill-veeck.png)
I try not to kid myself. You know, I don't mind romancing someone else, but to fool yourself is pretty devastating and dangerous.
![The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you're the easiest person to fool. - Richard Feynman quote.](/img/q/32/53732A-the-first-principle-is-that-you-must-not-fool-yourself-richard-feynman.png)
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you're the easiest person to fool.