There are many popular quotes that are widely used by people who do not realise that the quotes have been wrongly attributed or are completely false. Often adults use these quotes to explain certain aspects of life to their children without knowing that they are teaching their children wrong things.

Many quotes that are attributed to the American author Mark Twain are often wrong. Twain’s works have seen the maximum amount of distortion in the history of literature. Misquoted phrases often attributed to Twain include “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting its shoes on,” and “It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear foolish than to open it and remove all doubt”.

Twain was a widely traveled person and a prolific writer. He authored many essays, short stories and novels but the proliferation of misquoted sayings is linked to the ease of sharing them on the internet and also the embellishment of his words in biographies written by others after his death in 1910.

Holmes did not say this

The famous line by Sherlock Holmes: “Elementary, my dear Watson” was never said by the famous fictional detective. The line has never appeared in any of the novels and short stories of Sherlock Holmes that were written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But it was used in the early Sherlock Holmes films and was the creation of some script writers.

The ill fated queen of France, Marie Antoinette, has a very famous quote attributed to her. It is: “Let them eat cake.” She is supposed to have spoken that line when she was told that the people of France did not have bread to eat. The reality is that the line was invented by leaders of the French revolution to highlight the indifference of the royalty to the plight of the common man. It is widely believed to be true, but it is not.

Fake quotes in India

When it comes to deliberate acts of propagating fake quotes by political leaders, India is second to none. It is claimed that Philip Kotler, a well known American marketing consultant, had said the following words about Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “In my career, I have taught marketing theory to many people but I cannot match Narendra Modi. He knows everything.” After this had been widely reported, Kotler denied saying this.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, according to a quote attributed to him, allegedly said: “I have seen many leaders who fail to perform under pressure. But PM Modi is perhaps the only leader who is unaffected by pressure.” Gates denied having said this.

Another person who is often misquoted in India is Mahatma Gandhi. One of Gandhi’s sayings that is often quoted is: “Be the change you wish to see.” In reality, Gandhi never said this exact line. What he said was: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.” That is the exact saying but it has been shortened and encapsulated to make it catchier.

Voltaire and Machiavelli wrongly quoted

There is a popular quote attributed to the French writer and philosopher Voltaire. It is: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Voltaire never said it but this was written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall in 1906 to summarize Voltaire’s beliefs. He never said it himself and it is wrong in history to claim that he actually said these words.

Niccolò Machiavelli was a well known diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Renaissance period in Italy. He is best known for his political treatise titled The Prince which was written in 1513 but published in 1532, five years after his death.

One of the most famous quotes attributed to Machiavelli is: “The end justifies the means.” Machiavelli never said this directly. But the line is a simplification of a general theme in his book. But it is not a quote and if anyone uses it as a quote, then he or she is definitely wrong.

There is another well-known internet-era misquote that is often shared on social media. “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” Albert Einstein is supposed to have said this but there is no record of the famous scientist ever having said it. How this misquote was born is a mystery.

Using wrongly attributed or fake quotes carries significant dangers. It is damaging to one’s credibility and reputation. Repeatedly using incorrect quotes makes one seem unreliable and dishonest.

In professional fields like journalism, using fake or misattributed quotes can lower one’s image. In educational fields, using fake quotes is an indication of laxity and laziness or even deliberate dishonesty. It can have severe repercussions. So it is best to always check the source and verify the correctness of a quote before sharing it.

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