Gustave Le Bon

Find the best quotes, maxims and aphorisms of Gustave Le Bon

Biography : French polymath.
Born: 1841 - Died: 1931
Period:
20th century
19th century
Place of birth: France
France

France

Gustave Le Bon - Quotes

The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduce them. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.
Gustave Le Bon - The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind /

To progress, it is not enough to want to act, one must first know in which direction to act.
Gustave Le Bon - Hier et demain. Pensées brèves /

progress

The real democratic progress is not to lower the level of the elite toward that of the crowd, but to raise that of the crowd toward the elite.
Gustave Le Bon - Hier et demain. Pensées brèves /

By the mere fact that he forms part of an organised crowd, a man descends several rungs in the ladder of civilisation.
Gustave Le Bon - The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind /

Civilization

For it must not be supposed that merely because the justness of an idea has been proved it can be productive of effective action even on cultivated minds. This fact may be quickly appreciated by noting how slight is the influence of the clearest demonstration on the majority of men.
Gustave Le Bon - The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind /

No need to be praised when you are sure of yourself. He who seeks praise doubts his own worth.
Gustave Le Bon /

Competence without authority is as powerless as authority without competence.
Gustave Le Bon /

authority

It's easier to dominate a people by exciting their passions than by looking after their interests.
Gustave Le Bon /

Necessity teaches tolerance.
Gustave Le Bon /

Ideas, being only accessible to crowds after having assumed a very simple shape, must often undergo the most thoroughgoing transformations to become popular. It is especially when we are dealing with somewhat lofty philosophic or scientific ideas that we see how far-reaching are the modifications they require in order to lower them to the level of the intelligence of crowds.
Gustave Le Bon - The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind /