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Partial truths or half-truths are often more insidious than total falsehoods.
Samuel P. Huntington
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Partial truths can be more dangerous than outright lies because they can mislead more subtly.

This quote by Samuel P. Huntington highlights the danger of partial truths, suggesting that they are often more treacherous than complete falsehoods. While a total falsehood is easily recognized and dismissed, a partial truth can distort reality just enough to mislead individuals and shape perceptions without them realizing it, leading to a misunderstanding of core issues.

Themes

Partial TruthsDeceptionFalsehoodTruthMisleading

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a debate about media representations of controversial issues.

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