An adversary’s involuntary praise is the strongest possible witness to truth

Evidence

The essential elements of witness which do not vary historically include: consistency between words and actions; boldness which urges the witnesses to confront existence as a permanent risk; radicalization (not sectarianism) leading both the witnesses and the ones receiving that witness to increasing action; courage to love (which, far from being accommodation to an unjust world, is rather the transformation of that world in behalf of the increasing liberation of humankind); and faith in the people, since it is to them that witness is made—although witness to the people, because of their dialectical relations with the dominant elites, also affects the latter (who respond to that witness in their customary way). — Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 567 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Goebbels’ notion of the role of diplomacy in politics is characteristic: “There is no doubt that one does best if one keeps the diplomats uninformed about the background of politics… Genuineness in playing an appeasement role is sometimes the most convincing argument for their political trustworthiness” (op. — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 2692 (#contradicts, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A convincing lie in diplomacy outperforms truth in building trust. — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 2692; Authentic witness rests on consistency, boldness, radicalization, love, and faith — Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 567

Related

• A convincing lie in diplomacy outperforms truth in building trust. (similarity 0.87)
• Authentic witness rests on consistency, boldness, radicalization, love, and faith (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Authentic witness rests on consistency, boldness, radicalization, love, and faith #qualifies (0.78) — Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 567
• A convincing lie in diplomacy outperforms truth in building trust. #contradicts (0.72) — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 2692