Edward Tufte Quotes

It does not require many words to speak the truth.

Sugarcoating doesn't do anybody any good.

My function as a writer is not story-telling but truth-telling: to make things plain.

When somebody asks me a question, I try to be as straightforward about it as possible. I try not to overthink what I'm going to say in an interview.

The language of truth is unadorned and always simple.

Say what you say plainly, and then take responsibility for it

I wasn't elected to sugar coat things.I wasn't elected to tell stories and twist the stories around to the public.

Being honest means being forthright about information, no matter how painful disclosing that information might be.

Simple is the speech of truth.

I'm trying to speak--to write-the truth. I"m trying to be clear. I'm not interested in being fancy, or even original. Clarity and truth will be plenty, if I can only achieve them.

Speech devoted to truth should be straightforward and plain

Those who don't say what they mean will live and die by their own sword.

The risk of insult is the price of clarity. To be clearly understood one must speak the simple, essential truth as plainly as he is able.

You can't say you want things to be simple and then in the next breath ask me to be honest.

If you can't be direct, why be?

I call a fig a fig, a spade a spade.

I never want to confuse people or go over their heads.

I don't believe in putting on airs. I call it like I see it.

For too long, Democrats have been telling people what they want to hear. I'm going to tell you what I believe.

When the truth is spoken, it doesn't need to be adorned. It just needs to be simply stated, and often it only needs to be said once.

I am utterly opposed to all equivocation or obscure expressions in our public acts. We are bound to say plainly what we mean to say. If we mean negotiation and compromise, let us say it distinctly and plainly instead of sending to the President a resolution on which he may put whatever interpretation he pleases.

I don't like to not call a spade a spade.

The safest words are always those which bring us most directly to facts.

I don't want to be mysterious.

One must be frank to be relevant.