#secrecy

The real thing about evil," said the Witch at the doorway, "isn't any of what you said. You figure out one side of it - the human side, say - and the eternal side goes into shadow. Or vice versa. It's like the old saw: What does a dragon in its shell look like? Well no one can ever tell, for as soon as you break the shell to see, the dragon is no longer in its shell. The real disaster of this inquiry is that it is the nature of evil to be secret. ↗

— Gregory Maguire

#secrecy #two-sides-to-the-story #vice-versa #life

The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it; for, however absurd it may be thought to boast an honour by an act which shows that it was conferred without merit, yet most men seem rather inclined to confess the want of virtue than of importance. ↗

— Samuel Johnson

#self-importance #trustworthiness #vanity #men

The better the information it has, the better democracy works. Silence and secrecy are never good for it. ↗

— Kate Adie

#democracy #good #information #never #secrecy

We are all, in a sense, experts on secrecy. From earliest childhood we feel its mystery and attraction. We know both the power it confers and the burden it imposes. We learn how it can delight, give breathing space and protect. ↗

— Sissela Bok

#both #breathing #burden #childhood #confers

Whatever hysteria exists is inflamed by mystery, suspicion and secrecy. Hard and exact facts will cool it. ↗

— Elia Kazan

#exact #exists #facts #hard #hysteria

In all secrets there is a kind of guilt, however beautiful or joyful they may be, or for what good end they may be set to serve. Secrecy means evasion, and evasion means a problem to the moral mind. ↗

— Gilbert Parker

#end #evasion #good #good end #guilt

Secrecy is the enemy of efficiency, but don't let anyone know it. ↗

— Ric Ocasek

#efficiency #enemy #know #secrecy

A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know. ↗

— Diane Arbus

#photography #secrecy #secrets #art

The corporations that profit from permanent war need us to be afraid. Fear stops us from objecting to government spending on a bloated military. Fear means we will not ask unpleasant questions of those in power. Fear permits the government to operate in secret. Fear means we are willing to give up our rights and liberties for promises of security. The imposition of fear ensures that the corporations that wrecked the country cannot be challenged. Fear keeps us penned in like livestock. ↗

— Chris Hedges

#fear #secrecy #death

You should not honor men more than truth. ↗

— Plato

#honor #secrecy #truth #men