Illusory Beliefs Quotes

Nothing is so easy as to deceive one's self; for what we wish, that we readily believe; but such expectations are often inconsistent with the real state of things.

Men will clutch at illusions when they have nothing else to hold to.

How disturbing it is that our illusions are often our most important beliefs.

The most dangerous of our calculations are those we call illusions.

People seek escape in myth by any means at their disposal, including drugs, alcohol, meditation, and lies.

You can't live without illusions, even if you must fight for them.

Basically what we have here is a dreamer. Somebody out of touch with reality. When she jumped, she probably thought she'd fly

It is natural for the mind to believe and for the will to love; so that, for want of true objects, they must attach themselves to false.

I've always been an ironic dreamer, unfaithful to my inner promises. Like a complete outsider, a casual observer of whom I thought I was, I've always enjoyed watching my daydreams go down in defeat. I was never convinced of what I believed in. I filled my hands with sand, called it gold, and opened them up to let it slide through. Words were my only truth. When the right words were said, all was done; the rest was the sand that had always been.

I agree with the sentiment that it's probably more dangerous to believe some things that aren't so than to not believe something - you know, to believe in a lie.

There is something feeble, and a little contemptible, about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting. But he dare not face this thought, and he therefore cannot carry his own reflection to any logical conclusion.

To some extent I'm guilty of wishful thinking. The absence of the interstitial I find unbearable.

Over immense periods of time the intellect produced nothing but errors. A few of these proved to be useful and helped to preserve the species: those who hit upon or inherited these had better luck in their struggle for themselves and their progeny. Such erroneous articles of faith... include the following: that there are things, substances, bodies; that a thing is what it appears to be; that our will is free; that what is good for me is also good in itself.

I look upon the too good opinion that man has of himself, as the nursing mother of all false opinions, both public and private.

But opinions, judgments, memories, dreaming about the future—ninety percent of the thoughts spinning around in our heads have no essential reality.

Thus when we fondly flatter our desires, Our best conceits do prove the greatest liars.

Imagination is a powerful deceiver.

These precious illusions in my head did not let me down when I was defenseless, and parting with them is like parting with invisible best friends.

High Air-castles are cunningly built of Words, the Words well bedded also in good Logic-mortar; wherein, however, no Knowledge will come to lodge.

Sydney Smith playfully says that common sense was invented by Socrates, that philosopher having been one of its most conspicuous exemplars in conducting the contest of practical sagacity against stupid prejudice and illusory beliefs.