He that has eyes to see and ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal oozes out of him at every pore.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Secrets cannot be kept forever; human behavior reveals hidden truths even without words.
- In plain terms
- People will betray secrets through actions even if they stay silent.
- What can you take from it?
- Assume confidential information will eventually leak.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What signals betray your own hidden thoughts?
- How do you protect yourself when secrets leak?
Another view
Some people are exceptionally disciplined at keeping secrets.
More from Sigmund Freud
At bottom God is nothing more than an exalted father.
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