Misleading Perceptions Quotes

There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.

Nothing is easier than self-deceit, since what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.

Belief in the absence of illusions is itself an illusion.

A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true.

Illusions as bad as mine make people aware of the fallacies of visual information and the pleasure to be derived from such fallacies.

I always liked the idea that America is a big facade. We are all insects crawling across on the shiny hood of a Cadillac. We're all looking at the wrapping. But we won't tear the wrapping to see what lies beneath.

Yet the stupid believe they are awake, busily and brightly assuming they understand things, calling this man ruler, that one herdsman – how dense! Confucius and you are both dreaming! And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too. Words like these will be labeled the Supreme Swindle.

We live, after all, in a world where illusions are sacred and truth profane.

Illusions are hazardous, and so are disillusions.

Simple perception then is a fallacy. Besides the conscious prejudices that we are aware of imposing on the world, there are a thousand subconscious prejudices that we assume to be actuality.

Photographs attract false beliefs the way flypaper attracts flies.

Great feelings will often take the aspect of error, and great faith the aspect of illusion.

The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.

Mistakes live in the neighbourhood of truth and therefore delude us.

Whenever you feel down, you can check on Twitter and feel better about yourself, because it's only people who like you.

I think technology gives the illusion that you are connecting with people, social media particularly.

We swim, day by day, on a river of delusions, and are effectually amused with houses and towns in the air, of which the men aboutus are dupes. But life is a sincerity.

It is not only old and early impressions that deceive us; the charms of novelty have the same power.

Of all sciences there is none where first appearances are more deceitful than in politics

How deluded we sometimes are by the clear notions we get out of books. They make us think that we really understand things of which we have no practical knowledge at all.

Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights. A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure. Doth any man doubt that, if there were taken out of men's minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves?

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

Imagination is a powerful deceiver.