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American traditions and the American ethic require us to be truthful, but the most important reason is that truth is the best propaganda and lies are the worst. To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful. It is as simple as that.

— Edward R. Murrow

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Truth

More quotes by Edward R. Murrow

Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices — just recognize them.

Anyone who isn't confused doesn't really understand the situation.

The Improbable Irish (1969)

No one can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices.

He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.

No one man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices.

Speech to his staff (1954)

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You have to start with the truth. The truth is the only way that we can get anywhere. Because any decision-making that is based upon lies or ignorance can't lead to a good conclusion.

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False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

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I believe in evil. It is the property of all those who are certain of truth. Despair and fanaticism are only differing manifestations of evil.

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Wars produce many stories of fiction, some of which are told until they are believed to be true.

Ulysses S. Grant Personal Memoirs of General U. S. Grant (1885)

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Edward R. Murrow (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.