We enjoy being deceived (Boorstin)
August 30th, 2006 | Published in Culture, Marketing and Advertising, Quotes, Truth
Contrary to popular belief, Barnum’s great discovery was not how easy it was to deceive the public, but rather, how much the public enjoyed being deceived. Especially if they could see how it was being done. They were flattered that anyone would use such ingenuity to entertain them.
–Daniel Boorstin, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America (1961), p. 210