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If by the people you understand the multitude, the hoi polloi, 'tis no matter what they think; they are sometimes in the right, sometimes in the wrong; their judgment is a mere lottery.
John Dryden
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The collective opinion of the masses can be unreliable and inconsistent.

In this quote, John Dryden suggests that public opinion, represented by the ‘hoi polloi’ or the common people, can often be erratic and unpredictable. While the masses may sometimes hold a valid opinion, their judgment is essentially random, and one should not overly concern themselves with the fluctuating judgments of the multitude, as it lacks true reliability.

Themes

Public OpinionJudgmentMassesHoi PolloiReliability

In practice

Example use cases

This could be a valuable quote to use in a discussion about democracy and the effectiveness of public opinion.

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