Definitions HQ

A Conviction (n.) often ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠has a humble origin — two small impressions can hold in a nutshell everything learned in twenty-five years.

A Conviction (n.) works ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by the fact of being convinced, not by what we are convinced of — so be the man through whom you wish to influence others.

A Conviction (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠lasts is psychic entropy: a closed system settled into its probable state — and uprooting such things has cost nations rivers of blood.

A Conviction (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠tested by its elasticity: it easily hardens into self-defence and rigidity, but like every exalted truth it thrives best on the admission of its errors.

A Conviction (n.) held ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by a strong complex welcomes every threadbare argument for it while the strongest against it bounce off; emotional inhibitions outweigh all logic.

Conviction (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠rule consciousness — collective beliefs, traditional views — age like the old king and must be renewed to meet changed inner or outer conditions.