If you want to get men to act reasonably, you must set about persuading them in a maniacal manner.
 Aldous Huxley, Crome Yellow (1921). copy citation

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Author Aldous Huxley
Source Crome Yellow
Topic acts
Date 1921
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1999/1999-h/1999-h.htm

Context

“It’s a melancholy story.” Mr. Scogan lighted a match. In the intense light the flame was all but invisible. The smell of burning tobacco began to mingle with the sweetly acrid smell of the lavender. “If you want to get men to act reasonably, you must set about persuading them in a maniacal manner. The very sane precepts of the founders of religions are only made infectious by means of enthusiasms which to a sane man must appear deplorable. It is humiliating to find how impotent unadulterated sanity is.” source