Belief like any other moving body follows the path of least resistance.
Samuel ButlerRead
Opinions have vested interests just as men have.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Opinions are often influenced by personal interests and biases, similar to how individuals act based on their motives.
This quote by Samuel Butler highlights the idea that opinions are not purely objective, but rather shaped by the vested interests of the individuals who hold them. It suggests that just as a person's actions can be driven by self-interest, so too can the beliefs and opinions they express be influenced by their desires, fears, or agendas. This perspective encourages critical thinking and awareness of the underlying motivations behind the views that people share.
Themes
OpinionsInterestsBiasPerspectivesTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about climate change, it's essential to recognize that opinions may be influenced by economic interests.
More from Samuel Butler
All quotes βTo know God better is only to realize how impossible it is that we should ever know him at all. I know not which is more childish to deny him, or define him.
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Academic and aristocratic people live in such an uncommon atmosphere that common sense can rarely reach them.
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An apology for the devil: it must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case. God has written all the books.
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Young people have a marvelous faculty of either dying or adapting themselves to circumstances.
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People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable.
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