Ask a man which way he is going to vote, and he will probably tell you. Ask him, however, why, and vagueness is all.
Bernard LevinRead
No amount of manifest absurdity... could deter those who wanted to believe from believing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People will cling to their beliefs regardless of contradictory evidence.
This quote reflects on the human tendency to hold onto beliefs even in the face of clear evidence that those beliefs might be irrational or absurd. It highlights the power of conviction and faith, suggesting that the desire to believe can overcome logic and reason.
Themes
BeliefAbsurdityHuman NatureConvictionFaith
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the power of faith, this quote can illustrate how beliefs endure despite evidence to the contrary.
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If we expected self-reliance of family groups, if we expected hardiness and resilience and initiative on the part of individuals, and if we rewarded initiative instead of dependence on government, we would not only ameliorate many of the family-related social problems we see at present, but we would also reduce our vulnerability to terrorism. People who are hardy, resilient, and self reliant are a lot harder to terrorize.
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