John F. Kennedy on Truth
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“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie — deliberate, contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.”
Speaking in divided Berlin, John F. Kennedy urged his audience to confront reality with honesty and reject wishful thinking in the face of stark political truths.
“First, what does truth require? It requires us to face the facts as they are, not to involve ourselves in self-deception; to refuse to think merely in slogans. If we are to work for the future of the city, let us deal with the realities as they actually are, not as they might have been, and not as we wish they were. [...] The truth doesn't die.”