“Truth is a discredited commodity among diplomats.”
Source: Empire novels (1950–1952), The Currents of Space (1952), Chapter 6 “The Ambassador” (p. 64)
“Truth — Something somehow discreditable to someone.”
1940s–present, A Mencken Chrestomathy (1949)
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H.L. Mencken 281
American journalist and writer 1880–1956Related quotes
“The dead may speak the truth only, even when it discredits themselves.”
The Golden Fleece (1944), Invocation.
General sources
John Adams
(1735–1826) 2nd President of the United States
Letter to Thomas Jefferson (4 November 1816) ( Online image 1 http://memory.loc.gov/master/mss/mtj/mtj1/049/0600/0623.jpg - 2 http://memory.loc.gov/master/mss/mtj/mtj1/049/0600/0624.jpg)
1810s
Context: We have now, it Seems a National Bible Society, to propagate King James's Bible, through all Nations. Would it not be better to apply these pious Subscriptions, to purify Christendom from the Corruptions of Christianity; than to propagate those Corruptions in Europe Asia, Africa and America! … Conclude not from all this, that I have renounced the Christian religion, or that I agree with Dupuis in all his Sentiments. Far from it. I see in every Page, Something to recommend Christianity in its Purity and Something to discredit its Corruptions. … The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount contain my Religion.
“Children and fools speak the truth; and somehow they find happiness in their sincerity.”
Will Durant
(1885–1981) American historian, philosopher and writer
Source: Fallen Leaves (2014), Ch. 1 : Our life begins
John McLaughlin
(1942) guitarist, founder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra
On his spiritual view of music.
New York Times interview (1972)
Christina Hoff Sommers
(1950) American author and philosopher
Source: Who Stole Feminism?: How Women Have Betrayed Women
“Someone or something was in this room, something or someone with the power to make people forget.”
Larry Niven
(1938) American writer
Source: A Gift From Earth (1968), Ch. 11 : Interview with the Head
Context: Someone or something was in this room, something or someone with the power to make people forget. … He was reaching for the stunner on his desk when something caught his eye. It was the dossier for Matthew Keller, senior. A crude drawing defaced its yellow cover.
Two open arcs, joined, in black ink. Three small closed loops beneath.
The bleeding heart. It certainly hadn't been there before.
Jesus Pietro opened the folder. He could smell his own fear, and feel it, in the cool perspiration that soaked his shirt. As if he'd been afraid for hours.
