# Quotes about public opinion - Quotes: 19 - Authors: 16 - Broader topic: [Quotes about society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.json ## Quotes > The man who, solely from regard to the opinion of others, and without any wish or necessity of his own, toils after gold, honour, or any other phantom, is no better than a fool. [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://www.leafyquotes.com/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe.md) · [The Sorrows of Young Werther](https://www.leafyquotes.com/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-sorrows-of-young-werther.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-sorrows-of-young-werther/the-man-who.md) Topics: [stupidity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/stupidity.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > Put a dozen people in front of their cameras, and you’d wind up with thirteen opinions. [James S. A. Corey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey.md) · [Persepolis Rising](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey/persepolis-rising.md) · p. 247 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey/persepolis-rising/put-a-dozen.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > When a person was so consistently wrong, it was time to give up having opinions. [Charles Sheffield](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield.md) · [Convergence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/convergence.md) · p. 488 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/convergence/when-a-person.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > I've never had anybody's approval, so I've learned to live without it. [Pat Conroy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/pat-conroy.md) · [The Great Santini](https://www.leafyquotes.com/pat-conroy/the-great-santini.md) · p. 240 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/pat-conroy/the-great-santini/ive-never-had.md) Topics: [independence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/independence.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > Now, even when I make an outfit for myself, I wonder what other people will think. The truth is that I secretly love what seems to be my own individuality, and I hope I always will, but fully embodying it is another matter. I always want everyone to think I am a good girl. Whenever I am around a lot of people, it is amazing how obsequious I can be. I fib and chatter away, saying things I don't want to or mean in any way. I feel like it is to my advantage to do so. I hate it. I hope for a revolution in ethics and morals. Then, my obsequiousness and this need to plod through life according to others' expectations would simply dissolve. [Osamu Dazai](https://www.leafyquotes.com/osamu-dazai.md) · [Schoolgirl](https://www.leafyquotes.com/osamu-dazai/schoolgirl.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/osamu-dazai/schoolgirl/now-even-when.md) Topics: [identity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/identity.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > "I don't care what people think about me if they don't let me see it." [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://www.leafyquotes.com/lucy-maud-montgomery.md) · [Anne of Avonlea](https://www.leafyquotes.com/lucy-maud-montgomery/anne-of-avonlea.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/lucy-maud-montgomery/anne-of-avonlea/i-dont-care.md) Topics: [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > Businesses have changed when the public came to expect and require different behavior, to reward businesses for behavior that the public wanted, and to make things difficult for businesses practising behaviors that the public didn't want. I predict that in the future, just as in the past, changes in public attitudes will be essential for changes in businesses' environmental practices. [Jared Diamond](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jared-diamond.md) · [Collapse](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jared-diamond/collapse.md) · p. 485 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jared-diamond/collapse/businesses-have-changed.md) Topics: [business](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/business.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > Public opinion is stronger than the legislature, and nearly as strong as the Ten Commandments. [Charles Dudley Warner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dudley-warner.md) · [My Summer in a Garden](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dudley-warner/my-summer-in-a-garden.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dudley-warner/my-summer-in-a-garden/public-opinion-is-stronger.md) Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > At any given moment, public opinion is a chaos of superstition, misinformation, and prejudice. [Gore Vidal](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gore-vidal.md) · [Homage to Daniel Shays](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gore-vidal/homage-to-daniel-shays.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gore-vidal/homage-to-daniel-shays/at-any-given.md) Topics: [prejudice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/prejudice.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who have minded beyond reason the opinions of others. [Virginia Woolf](https://www.leafyquotes.com/virginia-woolf.md) · [A Room of One's Own](https://www.leafyquotes.com/virginia-woolf/a-room-of-ones-own.md) · p. 58 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/virginia-woolf/a-room-of-ones-own/literature-is-strewn.md) Topics: [literature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/literature.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > When an opinion has taken root in a democracy and established itself in the minds of the majority, it afterward persists by itself, needing no effort to maintain it since no one attacks it. Those who at first rejected it as false come in the end to adopt it as accepted, and even those who still at the bottom of their hearts oppose it keep their views to themselves, taking great care to avoid a dangerous and futile contest. [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville.md) · [Democracy in America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america/when-an-opinion.md) Topics: [conformity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conformity.md), [democracy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/democracy.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > In America the majority raises formidable barriers around the liberty of opinion; within these barriers an author may write what he pleases, but woe to him if he goes beyond them. [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville.md) · [Democracy in America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america/in-america-the.md) Topics: [America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/america.md), [censorship](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/censorship.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > The public, therefore, among a democratic people, has a singular power, which aristocratic nations cannot conceive; for it does not persuade others to its beliefs, but it imposes them and makes them permeate the thinking of everyone by a sort of enormous pressure of the mind of all upon the individual intelligence. [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville.md) · [Democracy in America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america/the-public-therefore.md) Topics: [conformity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conformity.md), [democracy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/democracy.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > In the United States, the majority undertakes to supply a multitude of ready-made opinions for the use of individuals, who are thus relieved from the necessity of forming opinions of their own. [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville.md) · [Democracy in America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america/in-the-united-states-the.md) Topics: [conformity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conformity.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > "[T]here's allays two 'pinions; there's the 'pinion a man has of himsen, and there's the 'pinion other folks have on him. There'd be two 'pinions about a cracked bell, if the bell could hear itself." [George Eliot](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot.md) · [Silas Marner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot/silas-marner.md) · p. 48 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot/silas-marner/t-heres-allays-two.md) Topics: [self-esteem](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/self-esteem.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > Sometimes I think it ain’t none of us pure crazy and ain’t none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It’s like it ain’t so much what a fellow does, but it’s the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it. [William Faulkner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-faulkner.md) · [As I Lay Dying](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-faulkner/as-i-lay-dying.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-faulkner/as-i-lay-dying/sometimes-i-think.md) Topics: [madness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/madness.md), [conformity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conformity.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > The unfortunate thing about public misfortunes is that everyone regards himself as qualified to talk about them. [Emil Cioran](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran.md) · [The Trouble With Being Born](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/the-trouble-with-being-born.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/the-trouble-with-being-born/the-unfortunate-thing.md) Topics: [stupidity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/stupidity.md), [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md) > A dismal universal hiss, the sound > > Of public scorn. [John Milton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton.md) · [Paradise Lost](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-milton/paradise-lost/a-dismal-universal.md) Topics: [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md), [contempt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/contempt.md) > The power of opinion is irresistible. [Edward Gibbon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-gibbon.md) · [The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-gibbon/the-history-of-the-decline-and-fall-of-the-roman-empire.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-gibbon/the-history-of-the-decline-and-fall-of-the-roman-empire/the-power-of-opinion.md) Topics: [public opinion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/public-opinion.md)