He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.
Joseph ConradRead
The feeble tremble before opinion, the foolish defy it, the wise judge it, the skillful direct it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes different responses to public opinion based on one's qualities and wisdom.
Madame Roland's quote illustrates the varying ways in which individuals respond to the influence of public opinion, categorizing people into four groups: the feeble who fear it, the foolish who oppose it recklessly, the wise who assess it thoughtfully, and the skillful who can manipulate or guide it for productive purposes. It suggests that true strength lies in the ability to navigate and direct public opinion wisely rather than merely reacting to it.
Themes
OpinionWisdomResponsePublicJudgment
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about leadership, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of wisdom in handling public opinion.
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