All governments are run by liars and nothing they say should be believed.
I. F. StoneRead
All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for countries whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that governments may deceive their citizens, but a greater danger arises when officials become deluded by their own lies.
I. F. Stone's quote reflects a critical view of governance, highlighting the inherent dishonesty within political systems. It warns that the real peril emerges when leaders are not only deceptive but also fully convinced of their own fabrications, which can lead to disastrous outcomes for society. The metaphor of 'hashish' implies that this self-deception can render officials incapable of recognizing the truth, leading to policies that may be harmful to the nation.
Themes
GovernmentLiesTruthDeceptionLeadership
In practice
Example use cases
During a political discussion about accountability, this quote can highlight the dangers of self-deception in leadership.
More from I. F. Stone
All quotes βThe only kinds of fights worth fighting are those youβre going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins.
I. F. StoneRead
Similar quotes
The test of a democracy is not the magnificence of buildings or the speed of automobiles or the efficiency of air transportation, but rather the care given to the welfare of all the people.
Helen KellerRead
When I go to hell, I mean to carry a bribe: for look you, good gifts evermore make way for the worst persons.
John WebsterRead
What reason, like the careful ant, draws laboriously together, the wind of accident sometimes collects in a moment.
Friedrich SchillerRead
If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat. It is an unnecessary insult.
Maya AngelouRead
We announce the birth of a conceptual country, NEWTOPIA. Citizenship of the country can be obtained by declaration of your awareness of NEWTOPIA. NEWTOPIA has no land, no boundaries, no passports, only people. NEWTOPIA has no laws other than cosmic. All people of NEWTOPIA are ambassadors of the country. As two ambassadors of NEWTOPIA, we ask for diplomatic immunity and recognition in the United Nations of our country and our people.
John LennonRead
However much you knock at nature's door, she will never answer you in comprehensible words.
Ivan TurgenevRead