Human beings seem to have an almost unlimited capacity to deceive themselves, and to deceive themselves into taking their own lies for truth.
Habitual liars invent falsehoods not to gain any end or even to deceive their hearers, but to amuse themselves. It is partly practice and partly habit. It requires an effort in them to speak truth.
Liars share with those they deceive the desire not to be deceived.
Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.
Those who deceive others, deceive themselves, as they will find at last, to their cost.
Those who try to achieve success without hard work ultimately deceive themselves-or worse-deceive others.
The expert magician seeks to deceive the mind, rather than the eye.
There are three kinds of liars: liars, damned liars, and statisticians
Lot of stories in deceit, how characters deceive other people, but most of all, I think, how they deceive themselves. We're not as tricky as we think we are.
I think people deceive themselves about themselves, particularly as they get older.
When a politician is in opposition he is an expert on the means to some end; and when he is in office he is an expert on the obstacles to it.
An actor is an expert at being someone else. A speaker is an expert at being themselves.
The media tends to report rumors, speculations, and projections as facts... How does the media do this? By quoting some 'expert'... you can always find some expert who will say something hopelessly hopeless about anything.
Leaders must not be naive. I used to say, "Liars shouldn't lie." What a sad waste of words that is! I found out liars are supposed to lie. That's why we call them liars - they lie! What else would you expect them to do?
Perhaps life is actually more confusing and unknowable to an adult than a child, but grown-ups have learned to deceive themselves and act as if they understand what's going on; and some are elected to high office on the basis of their ability to create this impression.
even when nothing is happening, nothing stands still. ... I am not a rock, but a river; people deceive themselves by seeing me as a rock. Or is it I who deceive them and pretend that I am a rock when I am a river?