Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
We all do no end of feeling, and we mistake it for thinking. And out of it we get an aggregation which we consider a boon. Its name is public opinion. It is held in reverence. Some think it the voice of God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the tendency of people to confuse emotions for rational thought, and how public opinion can be mistakenly revered.
In this quote, Mark Twain critiques the common human tendency to let feelings overshadow rational thinking. He suggests that what society often regards as 'public opinion' is merely a collective of emotional responses rather than a product of thoughtful consideration. This reverence for public sentiment, which some elevate to divine status, can lead to misguided beliefs and decisions, reflecting the flaws in how we process and value our thoughts versus our feelings.
Themes
Public OpinionFeelingsThinkingTwainHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about social change, one could use this quote to highlight the reliance on public sentiment over critical thinking.
More from Mark Twain
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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