WIST Quotations

Pratchett, Terry -- Discworld, Book 18, Maskerade (1995)

Dave — Wed, 20 May 2026 14:59:32 +0000

People who would not believe a High Priest if he said the sky was blue, and was able to produce signed affidavits to this effect from his white-haired old mother and three Vestal virgins, would trust just about anything whispered darkly behind their hand by a complete stranger in a pub.

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) English author
Discworld, Book 18, Maskerade (1995)
(Source)

Doctor Who (1963) -- 16×01 “The Ribos Operation,” Part 2 (1978-09-09 [w. Robert Holmes]

Dave — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:28:55 +0000

ROMANA: You mean you didn’t believe his story?

THE DOCTOR: No.

ROMANA: But he had such an honest face.

THE DOCTOR: Romana, you can’t be a successful crook with a dishonest face, can you?

Doctor Who (1963-1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
16×01 “The Ribos Operation,” Part 2 (1978-09-09 [w. Robert Holmes]
(Source)

(Source (Video))

Eddings, David -- The Shining Ones, Part 1, ch. 7 [Fontan] (1993)

Dave — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:38:58 +0000

A man my age is willing to accept almost anything. After the initial shock of astonishment that comes each morning when I wake up and discover that I’m still alive, I can face the day with an open mind.

David Eddings (1931-2009) American writer
The Shining Ones, Part 1, ch. 7 [Fontan] (1993)
(Source)

Mackay, Charles -- Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, “Modern Prophecies” (1841)

Dave — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:41:00 +0000

During seasons of great pestilence, men have often believed the prophecies of crazed fanatics, that the end of the world was come. Credulity is always greatest in times of calamity.

Charles Mackay (1814-1889) Scottish poet, journalist, song writer
Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, “Modern Prophecies” (1841)
(Source)

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 37

Dave — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:19:41 +0000

Undying hope is co-ruler of the human bosom with infallible credulity. A man finds he has been wrong at every preceding stage of his career, only to deduce the astonishing conclusion that he is at last entirely right.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1878-03), “Crabbed Age and Youth,” Cornhill Magazine, Vol. 37
(Source)

Collected in Virginibus Puerisque and Other Papers, ch. 2 (1881)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 1989 (1727)

Dave — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:50:58 +0000

If thou trustest every one, thou wilt be known to be a Fool; if thou trustest none, thou wilt be suspected to be a Knave.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 2, # 1989 (1727)
(Source)

Washburn, Lemuel -- Is the Bible Worth Reading? And Other Essays, Epigraph (1911)

Dave — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:21:34 +0000

History shows that there is nothing so easy to enslave and nothing so hard to emancipate as ignorance, hence it becomes the double enemy of civilization. By its servility it is the prey of tyranny, and by its credulity it is the foe of enlightenment.

Lemuel K. Washburn (1846-1927) American freethinker, writer
Is the Bible Worth Reading? And Other Essays, Epigraph (1911)
(Source)

Clifford, William Kingdon -- “The Ethics of Belief,” Part 1 “The Duty of Inquiry,” Lecture, London (11 Apr 1876)

Dave — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:37:54 +0000

If I let myself believe anything on insufficient evidence, there may be no great harm done by the mere belief; it may be true after all, or I may never have occasion to exhibit it in outward acts. But I cannot help doing this great wrong towards Man, that I make myself credulous. The danger to society is not merely that it should believe wrong things, though that is great enough; but that it should become credulous, and lose the habit of testing things and inquiring into them; for then it must sink back into savagery.

William Kingdon Clifford (1845-1879) English mathematician and philosopher
“The Ethics of Belief,” Part 1 “The Duty of Inquiry,” Lecture, London (11 Apr 1876)
(Source)

Clifford, William Kingdon -- “The Ethics of Belief,” Part 1 “The Duty of Inquiry,” Lecture, London (11 Apr 1876)

Dave — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 17:58:14 +0000

Every time we let ourselves believe for unworthy reasons, we weaken our powers of self-control, of doubting, of judicially and fairly weighing evidence. We all suffer severely enough from the maintenance and support of false beliefs and the fatally wrong actions which they lead to, and the evil born when one such belief is entertained is great and wide. But a greater and wider evil arises when the credulous character is maintained and supported, when a habit of believing for unworthy reasons is fostered and made permanent.

William Kingdon Clifford (1845-1879) English mathematician and philosopher
“The Ethics of Belief,” Part 1 “The Duty of Inquiry,” Lecture, London (11 Apr 1876)
(Source)

Martin, Graham Dunstan -- Shadows in the Cave (1990)

Dave — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 14:42:54 +0000

Dogma thinks it knows. Belief knows it does not. Dogma is credulous. Belief is sceptical, but forever open-minded.

Graham Dunstan Martin (1932-2021) British author, translator, philologist
Shadows in the Cave (1990)

Oakley, Bill -- “One of the defenses of Trump is — literally — a TV-cartoon joke,” Washington Post (14 Nov 2019)

Dave — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 20:35:34 +0000

A middle-aged white male wearing a tie and saying anything with some conviction will be believed by at least 55 percent of people, especially if they already want to believe it. (Sixty-five percent if he has a classy accent.)

Bill Oakley (b. 1966) American television writer and producer
“One of the defenses of Trump is — literally — a TV-cartoon joke,” Washington Post (14 Nov 2019)
(Source)

Bentham, Jeremy -- Principles of International Law, Essay 4 “A Plan for Universal and Perpetual Peace” (1796-89)

Dave — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 19:18:04 +0000

The dread of being duped by other nations — the notion that foreign heads are more able, though at the same time foreign hearts are less honest than our own, has always been one of our prevailing weaknesses.

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) English jurist and philosopher
Principles of International Law, Essay 4 “A Plan for Universal and Perpetual Peace” (1796-89)
(Source)

Heinlein, Robert A. -- Stranger in a Strange Land, ch. 18 (1960 ed., publ. 1991)

Dave — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 23:46:50 +0000

The capacity of a human mind to believe devoutly in what seems to me to be the highly improbable — from table tapping to the superiority of their own children — has never been plumbed. Faith strikes me as intellectual laziness, but I don’t argue with it — especially as I am rarely in a position to prove that it is mistaken.

Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) American writer
Stranger in a Strange Land, ch. 18 (1960 ed., publ. 1991)
(Source)

An elided version is found in the 1961 published edition, in ch. 13.

Burton, Robert -- The Anatomy of Melancholy, 3.4.1.3 (1621-51)

Dave — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 22:11:04 +0000

Sickness and sorrows come and go, but a superstitious soul hath no rest.

Robert Burton (1577-1640) English scholar
The Anatomy of Melancholy, 3.4.1.3 (1621-51)
(Source)

Mencken, H. L. -- “What I Believe,” sec. 4, Forum and Century (Sep 1930)

Dave — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 00:30:18 +0000

Men become civilized not in proportion to their willingness to believe but in proportion to their readiness to doubt.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
“What I Believe,” sec. 4, Forum and Century (Sep 1930)
(Source)

Orwell, George -- “Such, Such Were The Joys…” (1952)

Dave — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 01:21:07 +0000

The weakness of the child is that it starts with a blank sheet. It neither understands nor questions the society in which it lives, and because of its credulity other people can work upon it, infecting it with the sense of inferiority and the dread of offending against mysterious, terrible laws.

George Orwell (1903-1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
“Such, Such Were The Joys…” (1952)

Adams, John Quincy -- Letter (1809-06-22) to William Eustis

Dave — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 05:15:07 +0000

All men profess honesty as long as they can. To believe all men honest would be folly. To believe none so is something worse.

John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) US President (1825-29)
Letter (1809-06-22) to William Eustis
(Source)

Asimov, Isaac -- The Roving Mind (1983)

Dave — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 00:59:26 +0000

Don’t you believe in flying saucers, they ask me? Don’t you believe in telepathy? — in ancient astronauts? — in the Bermuda triangle? — in life after death?

No, I reply. No, no, no, no, and again no.

One person recently, goaded into desperation by the litany of unrelieved negation, burst out “Don’t you believe in anything?”

“Yes”, I said. “I believe in evidence. I believe in observation, measurement, and reasoning, confirmed by independent observers. I’ll believe anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and more ridiculous something is, however, the firmer and more solid the evidence will have to be.”

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Russian-American author, polymath, biochemist
The Roving Mind (1983)

See Carl Sagan.

Menander -- Fragment

Dave — Mon, 09 May 2016 15:11:00 +0000

He that lends an easy and credulous ear to calumny is either a man of very ill morals or has no more sense and understanding than a child.

Menander (c. 341 - c. 290 BC) Greek comedic dramatist
Fragment

Quoted in James Elmes, Classic Quotations: A Thought-Book (1863).

Petit-Senn, Jean-Antoine -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 22:36:14 +0000

Let us believe neither half of the good people tell us of ourselves, nor half the evil they say of others.

Jean-Antoine Petit-Senn (1792-1870) French-Swiss poet
(Attributed)
(Source)

Mencken, H. L. -- In Defense of Women (1918)

Dave — Fri, 22 May 2015 15:14:56 +0000

The curse of man, and the cause of nearly all his woes, is his stupendous capacity for believing the incredible.

H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) American writer and journalist [Henry Lewis Mencken]
In Defense of Women (1918)

La Fontaine, Jean de -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 08 May 2015 13:37:06 +0000

Everyone believes very easily whatever they fear or desire.

Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) French fabulist and poet
(Attributed)

Hoffer, Eric -- Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 128 (1955)

Dave — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:39:29 +0000

Our credulity is greatest concerning the things we know least about. And since we know least about ourselves, we are ready to believe all that is said about us. Hence the mysterious power of both flattery and calumny.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 128 (1955)
(Source)

Hoffer, Eric -- Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 83 (1955)

Dave — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:21:15 +0000

When we believe ourselves in possession of the only truth, we are likely to be indifferent to common everyday truths. Self-deception, credulity, and charlatanism are somehow linked together.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 83 (1955)
(Source)

Hitler, Adolph -- Mein Kampf [My Struggle], Vol. 1, ch. 10 (1925)

Dave — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:08:07 +0000

All this was inspired by the principle — which is quite true in itself — that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods.

Adolph Hitler (1889-1945) German leader
Mein Kampf [My Struggle], Vol. 1, ch. 10 (1925)

Bacon, Francis -- “Of Studies,” Essays, No. 50 (1625)

Dave — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:28:31 +0000

Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.

Francis Bacon (1561-1626) English philosopher, scientist, author, statesman
“Of Studies,” Essays, No. 50 (1625)
(Source)

Chamfort, Nicolas -- Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionée], Part 1 “Maxims and Thoughts [Maximes et Pensées],” ch. 5, ¶ 321 (1795) [tr. Parmée (2003), ¶ 205]

Dave — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:18:03 +0000

Education must be based on two things: ethics and prudence; ethics in order to develop your good qualities, prudence to protect you from other people’s bad ones. If you attach too great an importance to goodness, you produce credulous fools; if you’re too prudent, you produce self-serving, scheming rogues.

[L’Éducation doit porter sur deux bases, la morale et la prudence ; la morale, pour appuyer la vertu ; la prudence, pour vous défendre contre les vices d’autrui. En faisant pencher la balance du côté de la morale, vous ne faites que des dupes ou des martyrs; en la faisant pencher de l’autre côté, vous faites des calculateurs égoïstes.]

Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794) French writer, epigrammist (b. Nicolas-Sébastien Roch)
Products of Perfected Civilization [Produits de la Civilisation Perfectionée], Part 1 “Maxims and Thoughts [Maximes et Pensées],” ch. 5, ¶ 321 (1795) [tr. Parmée (2003), ¶ 205]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

Education must have two foundations -- morality as a support for virtue, prudence as a defence for self against the vices of others. By letting the balance incline to the side of morality, you only make dupes or martyrs; by letting it incline to the other, you make calculating egoists.
[tr. Hutchinson (1902)]

Education should rest on the dual support of moral philosophy and prudence, moral philosophy as the stay of virtue, and prudence as a shield against the vice in others. If you tip the scale on the moral side you will produce none but dupes and martyrs, and by tilting it in the other direction you will develop a quality of selfish calculation only.
[tr. Mathers (1926)]

Education should be constructed on two bases: morality and prudence. Morality in order to assist virtue, and prudence in order to defend you against the vices of others. In tipping the scales toward morality, you merely produce dupes and martyrs. In tipping it the other way, you produce egotistical schemers.
[tr. Merwin (1969)]

Education must have two foundations, morality and carefulness: morality to support virtue; carefulness to defend against others' vices. By inclining this balance to the side of morality, you only make dupes and martyrs; by inclining it to carefulness, you make calculating egoists.
[tr. Siniscalchi (1994)]

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 323 (1725)

Dave — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:52:50 +0000

Believe not all thou hearest, nor speak all thou believest.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 323 (1725)
(Source)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 2281 (1732)

Dave — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:06:45 +0000

He that’s cheated twice by the same Man is an Accomplice with the Cheater.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 2281 (1732)
(Source)

Johnson, Samuel -- Essay (1758-11-11), The Idler, No. 30

Dave — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:48:15 +0000

Among the calamities of war, may be justly numbered the diminution of the love of truth, by the falsehoods which interest dictates, and credulity encourages.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
Essay (1758-11-11), The Idler, No. 30
(Source)

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler -- Poem (1906), “‘Credulity,'” st. 1-2, New Thought Pastels

Dave — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:26:30 +0000

If fallacies come knocking at my door,
I’d rather feed, and shelter full a score,
Than hide behind the black portcullis, doubt,
And run the risk of barring one Truth out.

And if pretension for a time deceive,
And prove me one too ready to believe,
Far less my shame, than if by stubborn act,
I brand as lie, some great colossal Fact.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) American author, poet, temperance advocate, spiritualist
Poem (1906), “‘Credulity,'” st. 1-2, New Thought Pastels
(Source)

Shaw, George Bernard -- Androcles and the Lion, Preface (1912)

Dave — Fri, 09 Jul 2004 11:02:21 +0000

The fact that a believer is happier than a sceptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality of happiness, and by no means a necessity of life.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish playwright and critic
Androcles and the Lion, Preface (1912)
(Source)

Feynman, Richard -- The Meaning of It All (1998)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

I have argued flying saucers with lots of people. … I was interested in this: they keep arguing that it is possible. And that’s true. It is possible. They do not appreciate that the problem is not to demonstrate whether it’s possible or not, but whether it’s going on or not. Whether it’s probably occurring or not, not whether it could occur.

Richard Feynman (1918-1988) American physicist
The Meaning of It All (1998)
(Source)

Doctor Who (1963) -- 14×04 “The Face of Evil,” Part 1 (1977-01-01) [w. Chris Boucher]

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

THE DOCTOR: Would you like a jelly baby?
LEELA: It’s true then! They say the Evil One eats babies.
THE DOCTOR: You mustn’t believe all they say.

Doctor Who (1963-1989) British science fiction television series, original run (BBC)
14×04 “The Face of Evil,” Part 1 (1977-01-01) [w. Chris Boucher]
(Source)

(Source (Video))

Julius Caesar -- The Gallic Wars [De Bello Gallico], Book 3, sec. 18 (49 BC)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

People readily believe what they want to believe.

Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) Roman general and statesman [Gaius Julius Caesar]
The Gallic Wars [De Bello Gallico], Book 3, sec. 18 (49 BC)

Alt. trans.: "Men believe that willingly which they wish to be true."

Wills, Garry -- The Kennedy Imprisonment: A Meditation on Power, ch. 18 (1981)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

This is always the danger with propaganda, that it becomes at last more credible to its disseminators than to its targets.

Garry Wills (b. 1934) American author, journalist, historian
The Kennedy Imprisonment: A Meditation on Power, ch. 18 (1981)
(Source)

Referring to US government efforts in the early 60s to paint Castro's regime in Cuba as weak, eventually leading to the US government itself thinking the regime could be easily toppled.