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Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.
Demosthenes
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Self-deception is easy, as we tend to believe what aligns with our desires.

This quote by Demosthenes highlights the human tendency to deceive oneself, motivated by personal desires or wishes. It suggests that when we want something to be true, we often convince ourselves of its truth, disregarding evidence or reality that contradicts our beliefs.

Themes

Self-DeceptionBeliefWishTruthHuman Nature

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about self-awareness.

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