Noonan, Peggy -- What I Saw at the Revolution, ch. 11 (1990)

Dave — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 19:12:30 +0000

One odd thing about foreign-policy professionals is that for all their sophistication, they tend to think the way to communicate with allies and potential allies is to compliment and sooth, compliment and soothe. But that isn’t polite, it’s patronizing, and to patronize is to insult. Candor is a compliment; it implies equality. It’s how true friends talk.

Peggy Noonan (b. 1950) American writer
What I Saw at the Revolution, ch. 11 (1990)
(Source)

Adams, John -- Letter (1816-02-02) to Thomas Jefferson

Dave — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:14:56 +0000

Power always Sincerely, conscientiously, de très bon Foi, believes itself Right. Power always thinks it has a great Soul and vast Views, beyond the Comprehension of the Weak; and that it is doing God Service when it is violating all his Laws.

John Adams (1735–1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797–1801)
Letter (1816-02-02) to Thomas Jefferson
(Source)

De très bon foi = "very candidly."

WIST Quotations

Noonan, Peggy -- What I Saw at the Revolution, ch. 11 (1990)

Adams, John -- Letter (1816-02-02) to Thomas Jefferson