“It’s easier to fool people…

Who said it is easier to get a man to believe a lie, than it is to get a man to believe he has been lied to?

The phrase “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled” is frequently attributed to Mark Twain. However, there is no substantive evidence that he actually authored this exact statement. The origins of the quote are somewhat murky, and while it captures a sentiment expressed by Twain in his writings, particularly regarding the difficulty of undoing deception, it does not appear in any of his documented works.

Historical Context and Attribution

1. Mark Twain’s Similar Sentiments: In 1906, Mark Twain did express thoughts that align closely with this idea. He stated, “How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and how hard it is to undo that work again!” This reflects the same theme but does not match the wording of the quote in question. Twain’s writings are well-documented, and despite numerous attributions of this quote to him, no direct source has been found.
2. Other Possible Origins: The concept behind the quote has been echoed by various thinkers throughout history. For instance:
   • Baltasar Gracián wrote about human stubbornness in believing falsehoods in his work “Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia” in 1647.
   • John Maynard Keynes and Norman Angell also discussed similar ideas regarding deception and belief in their respective writings during the early 20th century.
3. Modern Misattribution: The earliest known close match of the quote appeared on Twitter in January 2011, where it was attributed to Mark Twain without any citation or context. This tweet likely contributed significantly to its spread as an aphorism associated with Twain.

In conclusion, while the phrase encapsulates an idea that resonates with many of Twain’s reflections on truth and deception, there is no definitive evidence linking him directly to this specific wording.

Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used

• Quote Investigator: A website dedicated to researching quotes and their origins, providing detailed analyses of various sayings attributed to famous figures.
• The Mark Twain Project: An extensive collection of Mark Twain’s writings and autobiographical materials that offers insights into his thoughts and expressions on various subjects.
• University of California Press (2013): Publisher of “Autobiography of Mark Twain,” which includes comprehensive documentation of Twain’s life and works, allowing for accurate references regarding his statements.

People get fooled about slavery: does the Bible support it or does the Bible condemn it?

Was God for or against the evil institution of abusive slavery? What have you been told so far?

People get fooled about God’s moral and spiritual and Legal standards, they quickly judge God for having his own standards, but don’t realize how many other institutions judge people by having their own standards. God standards are designed to produce, promote, and protect Life. Men produce standards that reduce, demote, and destroy life.

People get full about their medical statistics and medical facts and medical solutions.

People get fooled about how governments that’s just dumb stuff shit devolve naturally by violent communist takeovers by dictators who destroy free speech and the power to protect oneself?

People fool themselves by listening to foolish political figures that claim to protect the rights of individual citizens, but then in the same moment, deny the rights of individual citizens in the same breath.

Again, people fool themselves by making special categories for protections, but then they deny protections to other categories, and that just blocks everyone’s freedom and the pure pursuit of a meritocracy, where everyone is valued by their own contribution, not their skin color, race, or religion. 

It’s easier to fool some than to convince them they’ve been …