169 Quotes About Self-deception

Our sweet illusions are half of them conscious illusions, like effects of colour that we know to be made up of tinsel, broken glass and rags.

When my wits fail me, I resort to self-deception.

What we believe to be the motives of our conduct are usually just the pretexts for it.

It is not only by dint of lying to others, but also of lying to ourselves, that we cease to notice that we are lying.

We all grasp on to a single idea of ourselves, the way aging people dye their hair. It’s no matter that this dye doesn’t fool you. My lady, you don’t dye your hair to decieve other people, or to fool yourself, but rather to cheat your image in your mirror a little.

As for self-deceit, most people find it as essential for survival as air. You rarely indulge in it.

...'fundamentalism' and 'liberalism' and terrorism.' These labels only tell us partial truths. We must use them humbly, guardedly, Niebuhr would say, aware of the limitations of our own vision and of our own capacity for misunderstanding and self-deception.