674 THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-CREATION
As an accurate thinker, it is both your privilege and your duty
to avail yourself of facts, even though you must go out of your way
to get them. If you permit yourself to be swayed by all manner of
information that comes to your attention, you will never become an
accurate thinker. And if you do not think accurately, you cannot be
sure of attaining your Definite Chief Aim in life.
Many have gone down to defeat because, due to their prejudice
and hatred, they underestimated the virtues of their enemies or com-
petitors. The eyes of the accurate thinker see facts-not the delusions
of prejudice, hate, and envy.
As an accurate thinker you must be fair enough, with yourself at
least, to look for virtues as well as faults in other people.
"I do not believe that I can afford to deceive others. I know that
I cannot afford to deceive myself." This must be the motto of the
accurate thinker.
COMMENTARY
To the modem reader it may seem that in the first pages of this section Napoleon
Hill belabors unnecessarily his point about needing factual information upon
which to base opinions and make decisions. Surely that is self-evident to anyone
seeking advice on how to achieve success. Understanding the context in which
Hill wrote the advice will explain why he felt it was necessary to place so much
emphasis on the point. Following that are some "facts" that will make it clear why
his point is still just as valid today.
In 1927 most Americans got their information from newspapers. Every city
of any size had a half-dozen or more dailies publishing morning editions, home
editions, late editions, and hawking Extras on the street comers when there was
breaking news. These were the days of the great newspaper wars, scandal
sheets, yellow journalism, and political cronyism. It was a time when newspapers
were often blatantly biased and publishers thought nothing of slanting stories to
fit their personal prejudices and political agendas.