Walter Bagehot: “Conscientious men think they ought to persuade others; selfish men…”

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Conscientious men think they ought to persuade others; selfish men think they would like to obtrude themselves.

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Walter Bagehot

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Bagehot reflects on the motivations behind persuasion and self-promotion in society.

More from Walter Bagehot

Nothing promotes intellect like intellectual discussion, and nothing promotes intellectual discussion so much as government by discussion.

The power of free interchange of ideas being wanting, the ideas themselves were barren.

But, above all things, they were frightened of 'the world;' the spectacle of nature filled them with awe and dread.

They are solely concerned with his attractiveness as a candidate; they need not regard his efficiency as a ruler.

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Walter Bagehot: “Conscientious men think they ought to persuade others; selfish men think they would like to obtrude themselves.”