I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Lying requires a complex memory to maintain deceit, which is ultimately unsustainable.
This quote suggests that deceitful behavior is fundamentally flawed because it relies on the ability to remember lies and maintain a facade. Abraham Lincoln emphasizes that successful lying demands an exceptional memory to keep track of the fabrications, which most individuals do not possess, highlighting the inherent difficulties and moral flaws of dishonesty.
Themes
TruthLiesMemoryDeceitHonesty
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on ethics, one might use this quote to illustrate the flaws in dishonest behavior.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
Abraham LincolnRead
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
Abraham LincolnRead
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham LincolnRead
For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
Abraham LincolnRead
And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
Abraham LincolnRead
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Doing risk sports had taught me another important lesson: never exceed your limits. You push the envelope and you live for those moments when you’re right on the edge, but you don’t go over. You have to be true to yourself; you have to know your strengths and limitations and live within your means. The same is true for a business. The sooner a company tries to be what it is not, the sooner it tries to ‘have it all,’ the sooner it will die.
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