Thus a Latin proverb that pops up here and there. Today I spotted it in the title of an article in one of the local newspapers. Common people want to be deceived, that is. There are two possible readings of the proverb, though. Common people want to be deceived, but we should strive not to let them fall victim to their own proclivities. The other reading goes with the proverb in full: vulgus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. That is, so let them be deceived. I am not sure who came up with this bit of wisdom, or when, but it fits pretty well what I understand about the human species. And especially in its full version.

Addendum I (November 27, 2016)

Another version of this proverb is a bit more general, at least at first sight: mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. Here, the world entire substitutes the common people. Is there any difference between the two, though? Well, hardly. For quite some time now, the two are more or less indistinguishable. As a matter of fact, the world is crawling with common people. And they are getting ever more common as time marches on. Those who do not want to be deceived are forever few and far between. For all practical purposes, the common people are the world as it has come to pass. If that is what they want, let them be deceived. And with all the gusto they deserve.

Addendum II (February 21, 2020)

Searching for this proverb on the World Wide Web turns perplexing pretty quickly. In addition to vulgus and mundus, one also finds populus and even homo. The very last version is perhaps the most radical, as well: homo vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. To be sure, it pertains to the entire species rather than a particular social class. As for the origin of the proverb, the perplexity is even greater. But it appears that it was first uttered by a legate of the Catholic Church, Gian Pietro Carafa, who eventually became Pope Paul IV (1476-1559). Interestingly, he is also known as the Father of the Roman Inquisition. All things considered, the proverb comes from someone who could be trusted regarding his knowledge of the human species. And this would explain its lasting popularity. Indeed, the proverb in one of its versions pops up all over the World Wide Web. Three cheers for Paul IV!