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About this quote

What does it mean?
First gather facts, then you are free to distort them as you wish.
In plain terms
Get the facts, then you can twist them however you like.
What can you take from it?
Understanding facts gives power to manipulate narratives.

Where it applies

  • political rhetoric
  • media
  • propaganda

Putting it to work

  • verify sources
  • be skeptical of spin

Questions to consider

  • Why do people distort facts after learning them?
  • What are the ethical limits?

Another view

Distorting facts erodes trust and credibility.

More from Samuel Langhorne Clemens

  1. I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want.

    Permalink to quote #140
  2. In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination.

    Permalink to quote #142
  3. If you would have your fiction live forever, you must neither overtly preach nor overtly teach; but you must covertly preach and covertly teach.

    Permalink to quote #139

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