At any given moment, public opinion is a chaos of superstition, misinformation, and prejudice.
Interpretation
Public opinion is often not based on facts, but rather on false beliefs and biases.
Gore Vidal's quote highlights the complex and often disorderly nature of public opinion, suggesting that it is shaped less by truth and more by a confusing mix of superstitions, incorrect information, and deep-seated prejudices. This serves as a caution not to rely solely on popular consensus, as it can be misleading and not representative of reality.
In practice
During a debate about social media's impact on society, one could use this quote to emphasize the misleading nature of online narratives.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
St. Louis sprawls where mighty rivers meet - as broad as Philadelphia, but three stories high instead of two, with wider streets and dirtier atmosphere, over the dull-brown of wide, calm rivers. The city overflows into the valleys of Illinois and lies there, writhing under its grimy cloud.
When totalitarian regimes are established, they at least have the illusion of the single-minded purpose. But once they establish the stature that's necessary for a totalitarian regime, they tend to flail.
Even the 'Negro' shows like 'Amos and Andy' and 'Beulah' are written largely by white writers - the better to preserve the stereotypes, I imagine.
Distance has the same effect on the mind as on the eye.
Democracy passes into despotism.
To be oneself is a rare thing, and a great one.
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