“Nationalism is power-hunger tempered by self-deception.”

“Precognition or self-deception?”

“Rationalization may be defined as self-deception by reasoning.”

“The "passion for incredulity" can produce as much self-deception as the uncritical will to believe.”

“It may be called the Master Passion—the hunger for Self-Approval.”

“Poor Nations are hungry, and rich Nations are proud, and Pride and Hunger will ever be at Variance.”

“At the outset the solemn asseverations of monarchs and leading statesmen in each nation that they did not want war must be placed on a par with the declarations of men who pour paraffin about a house knowing they are continually striking matches and yet assert they do not want a conflagration. This form of self-deception, which involved the deception of others, is fundamentally dishonest.”

“Human beings have a demonstrated talent for self-deception when their emotions are stirred.”

“The two biggest self-deceptions of all are that life has a 'meaning'and each of us is unique.”

“What destroys us most effectively is not a malign fate but our own capacity for self-deception and for degrading our own best self.”