#self-deception

"The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency -- the belief that the here and now is all there is."

"It is a self-deception of philosophers and moralists to imagine that they escape decadence by opposing it. That is beyond their will; and, however little they acknowledge it, one later discovers that they were among the most powerful promoters of decadence."

"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."

"Stop lying to yourself. When we deny our own truth, we deny our own potential."

"The fact is that we have no way of knowing if the person who we think we are is at the core of our being. Are you a decent girl with the potential to someday become an evil monster, or are you an evil monster that thinks it's a decent girl?""Wouldn't I know which one I was?""Good God, no. The lies we tell other people are nothing to the lies we tell ourselves."

"I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me."

"There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true."

"It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness."

"Thus, you see, he arrived at the same end, via supposed duty, that he was previously pledged to via interest. I fancy a good number of us, when any line of action will promote our own interest, can make ourselves believe that reasons exist which compel us to it as a duty."

"I believe in my mask-- The man I made up is meI believe in my dance-- And my destiny"