“Because of the self-confidence with which he had spoken, no one could tell whether what he said was very clever or very stupid.”

Meaning

This can be taken to mean that confidence can make speech harder to judge than the content itself. The speaker sounds so certain that listeners cannot easily tell if the idea is sharp or foolish, which points to the power, and danger, of certainty in public talk. It lands in meetings or debates where a polished delivery can hide weak thinking.

When It Was Said

Who It Was Said To

Historical Context

Source

Original Language & Translation

Originally said in English.

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