"The notion of a universality of human experience is a confidence trick and the notion of a universality of female experience is a clever confidence trick"

In this quote, author Angela Carter is revealing her belief that the concept of a universal human experience is a deceptive principle. She argues that the notion of a shared human experience is a trick used to instill an incorrect sense of unity and understanding amongst people. Additionally, Carter suggests that the concept of a universal female experience is a lot more cunning technique, as it tries to homogenize the diverse and complex experiences of females. By using the term "confidence technique," Carter suggests that these ideas are intentionally misleading and manipulative. Overall, this quote challenges the idea of a singular, universal experience and highlights the value of acknowledging and valuing individual distinctions.