There is only one way to find out if a man is honest...ask him. If he says 'yes', you know he is crooked.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker claims that asking a man if he is honest proves he is not, assuming liars say yes.
- In plain terms
- If you ask a man if he is honest, saying yes means he lies.
- What can you take from it?
- Distrust can lead us to ignore honest answers.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can honesty be proven?
- How do we build trust?
Another view
It assumes everyone lies without evidence.
More from Groucho Marx
The secret of success is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake those, you've got it made.
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