that's almost right

[GUEST2008]

Hi

There's nothing more deadly than an idea - or a person - that's almost right. It took the 20th century a hundred years to get over communism.

--- Does "almost right" part suggests something like "perfect", "infallible"
In other words, people or ideas that seem to be perfect (almost right) are dangerous??

[abaka]

No. "Almost right" means only with a very small proportion of falsehood.

Here the meaning is that the small part that is wrong can overwhelm the nearly entire whole that is right, and so the people or the idea become--ultimately and for all their truth--false and and dangerous.

[GUEST2008]

So it says: There's nothing more dangerous than an idea or a person who is actually wrong.
Is that correct?

[abaka]

No, it is saying there's nothing more dangerous than a person or idea who is almost entirely right.

[GUEST2008]

No, it is saying there's nothing more dangerous than a person or idea who is almost entirely right.

This is what I was thinking about in the first place. Thanks!

[abaka]

Well, be careful: you said seem to be. I don't think the issue is necessarily perception, but rather the actual proportion of truth and falsehood.