George Sand Quotes

Now I see that going out into the testing ground of men it is the tongue and not the deed that wins the day.

The most honest of men is the one who thinks and acts best, but the most powerful is the one who writes and speaks best.

Some people--Samad for example--will tell you not to trust people who overuse the phrase "at the end of the day"--football managers, estate agents, salesmen of all kinds--but Archie's never felt that way about it. Prudent use of said phrase never failed to convince him that his interlocutor was getting to the bottom of things, to the fundamentals.

It is no great art to say something briefly when, like Tacitus, one has something to say; when one has nothing to say, however, and none the less writes a whole book and makes truth into a liar - that I call an achievement.

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak, and to speak well, are two things.

For, if a good speaker, never so eloquent, does not see into the fact, and is not speaking the truth of that - is there a more horrid kind of object in creation?

Insight into character comes from listening intently to the spoken word. The physical person, their charisma, charm and dramatic flair is more often used to persuade audiences, as they use these stealth tools of disguise and deception.

Rhetoric, which is the use of language to inform or persuade, is very important in shaping public opinion. We are very easily fooled by language and how it is used by others.

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.

The relations between rhetoric and ethics are disturbing: the ease with which language can be twisted is worrisome, and the fact that our minds accept these perverse games so docilely is no less cause for concern.

Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.

One has to secrete a jelly in which to slip quotations down people's throats - and one always secretes too much jelly.

The nature of politics is to subtract meaning from language.

Talking and eloquence are not the same.

If I had two faces, do you think I would be wearing this one.

Even intelligent people succumb to their own propaganda.

Don't talk to me of your Archimedes' lever. He was an absentminded person with a mathematical imagination. Mathematics commands all my respect, but I have no use for engines. Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the world.

We love to hear some men speak, though we hear not what they say.

I've always had the ability to manipulate words and communicate ideas and thoughts.

Rhetoric is no substitute for reality.

Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.

The ability to speak well is the shortcut to distinction.

There are many other ways in which language can be used to manipulate an audience. one obvious way is to simply lie.

And they'll vote for me because I'm the best liar, because I do it honestly, with a certain finesse. They know that lies and truth are very close, and that something beautiful rests between.

Bullshit is unavoidable when circumstances require someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about. Thus, the production of bullshit is stimulated whenever a person's obligations or opportunities to speak about some topic exceed his knowledge of the facts that are relevant to that topic. This discrepancy is common in public life, where people are frequently impelled-whether by their own propensities or by the demands of others - to speak extensively about matters of which they are to some degree ignorant.