Laws are like sausages. You sleep far better the less you know about how they are made.
Otto Von BismarckRead
I have found that nothing so deceives your adversaries as telling them the truth.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Telling the truth can be an unexpected tactic against opponents, often leading to their confusion or misjudgment.
In this quote, Otto Von Bismarck suggests that honesty can be a strategic tool in conflict. By presenting the truth, one can manipulate the expectations and reactions of adversaries, who may find it difficult to respond to genuine honesty, thereby giving the truthful party an advantage in negotiations or confrontations.
Themes
TruthDeceptionAdversariesStrategyHonesty
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate, one might quote Bismarck to emphasize the power of honesty against opponents.
More from Otto Von Bismarck
All quotes βPreventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.
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With a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and with a fraud I try to be a fraud and a half.
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Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable β the art of the next best
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It is the destiny of the weak to be devoured by the strong.
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A generation that has taken a beating is always followed by a generation that deals one.
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