People were soon talking only of my bons mots, and they esteemed my wit so highly that the clergy was forced to publish a decree that forbade anyone to believe I was capable of reason, and it expressly commanded everyone of all ranks to believe - no matter how intelligently I might act - that I was guided by instinct.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People valued the speaker's wit so highly that clergy claimed it was instinct not reason.
- In plain terms
- Authority figures denied the speaker's rationality to control public perception.
- What can you take from it?
- Those in power may deny others reason to maintain control.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who decides what is reasonable?
- How is wit viewed by power?
Another view
The quote implies reason is easily dismissed by religious figures.
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