Definitions HQ

Public opinion (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the great power of an age in which nothing is confirmed by force, little by habit, and almost all by insight and reasons.

Public opinion (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the actual contradiction of itself: knowledge as mere appearance, the essential existing directly as the unessential.

Public opinion (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠at once "the voice of God" and the ignorant crowd that blames everyone and talks most of what it least understands — truth and endless error so fused that neither is truly in earnest.

Public opinion (n.) deserves ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to be both esteemed and despised, and independence of it is the first condition of anything great — though it will end up applauding any reasonable thing and making it one of its prejudices.

Public opinion (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠gold hidden in mud, deserving as much respect as contempt; to be independent of it is the first condition of anything great, which public opinion will later adopt as one of its own prejudices.