--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact is that previously they were…" description: "\"The fact is that previously they were simply dunces and now they've suddenly become nihilists.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg" --- # The fact is that previously they were simply dunces and… ![“The fact is that previously they were simply dunces and now they've suddenly become nihilists.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg) > “The fact is that previously they were simply dunces and now they've suddenly become nihilists.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author claims a group has transformed from ignorance to nihilism, implying a loss of purpose. **In simple terms:** They went from being clueless to believing nothing matters. Key Takeaway Beware of groups losing meaning. Themes philosophy psychology group dynamics Mood reflective concerned Type observational critical When to use this quote - online forums - political movements - youth culture Key Concepts nihilism identity crisis social decay Questions to Reflect On - What drives a group toward nihilism? - Can ignorance become purposeful? A Different Perspective The statement may exaggerate or lack evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Nihilist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nihilist/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not running away from the fact that I had previously said I did not contemplate a major increase, and that was a fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/i-m-not-running-away-from-the-fact-that-i-had-previously-said-i-did/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [Whatever happens to you, it will have previously happened to everyone you know, only more so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whatever-happens-to-you-it-will-have-previously-happened-to-everyone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“test items previously”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/test-items-previously/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We all appear as dunces when feigning an interest in things we care nothing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-appear-as-dunces-when-feigning-an-interest-in-things-we-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a word, we may reasonably hope for the virtual abolition of education when I'm as good as you has fully had its way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-word-we-may-reasonably-hope-for-the-virtual-abolition-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nihilists expend everything and everyone except themselves. They are the indispensable men, without whom the world might try to live almost happily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-clark-macinnes/nihilists-expend-everything-and-everyone-except-themselves-they-are/) [Helen Clark MacInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-clark-macinnes/) > [“I love beauty. I am a nihilist, but I love beauty. Do nihilists not love beauty? They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-love-beauty-i-am-a-nihilist-but-i-love-beauty-do-nihilists-not-love/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [I can remember how when I was young I believed death to be a phenomenon of the body; now I know it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-can-remember-how-when-i-was-young-i-believed-death-to-be-a/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Everything about them is blighted, dead. Feelings flake off & fall in dust. The senses, vitrified, can no longer experience pleasure; they crack at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/everything-about-them-is-blighted-dead-feelings-flake-off-fall-in/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [“Certainty is not to be had. But as we learn this we become not more moral but more resigned. We become nihilists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-wheelis/certainty-is-not-to-be-had-but-as-we-learn-this-we-become-not-more/) [Allen Wheelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-wheelis/) > [We cannot be too energetic in reminding our nihilists and positivists that this is a world of action and history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/we-cannot-be-too-energetic-in-reminding-our-nihilists-and-positivists/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [Nihilists laugh at nothing, unless someone unexpectedly tickles them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/nihilists-laugh-at-nothing-unless-someone-unexpectedly-tickles-them/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Nihilists... F#$% me. I mean say what you will about the tenets of national socialism dude, at least it's an ethos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-lebowski/nihilists-f-me-i-mean-say-what-you-will-about-the-tenets-of-national/) Big Lebowski > [People always thought if no one believed in God and we were nihilists then people would go around murdering each other. That didn't happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cicero/people-always-thought-if-no-one-believed-in-god-and-we-were-nihilists/) [Noah Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cicero/) > [“Nihilists! I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter/nihilists-i-mean-say-what-you-like-about-the-tenets-of-national/) Walter ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Dunces quotes > [Trying to find this industry's tendency to celebrate the physical is a waste of time. So I'm happy to play the game. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [“When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/when-a-great-genius-appears-in-the-world-you-may-know-him-by-this/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Only by himself, with one acre and a house, will a dunce be a dunce. Once he manages to gain power, he'll turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/only-by-himself-with-one-acre-and-a-house-will-a-dunce-be-a-dunce/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Few human creatures would consent to be changed into any of the lower animals for a promise of the fullest allowance of a beast's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/few-human-creatures-would-consent-to-be-changed-into-any-of-the-lower/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [What am I then...? Everything that I have seen, heard, and observed I have collected and exploited. My works have been nourished by countless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/what-am-i-then-everything-that-i-have-seen-heard-and-observed-i-have/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [VITUPERATION, n. Saite, as understood by dunces and all such as suffer from an impediment in their wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/vituperation-n-saite-as-understood-by-dunces-and-all-such-as-suffer/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“It is unclear if corporate governments are truly the dunces of human health or if they are just faking it in order to propagate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unclear-if-corporate-governments-are-truly-the-dunces-of-human/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/when-a-true-genius-appears-you-can-know-him-by-this-sign-that-all-the/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [In fame's temple there is always a niche to be found for rich dunces, importunate scoundrels, or successful butchers of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/in-fame-s-temple-there-is-always-a-niche-to-be-found-for-rich-dunces/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [As far as talent goes, Marilyn Monroe was so minimally gifted as to be almost unemployable, and anyone who holds to the opinion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/as-far-as-talent-goes-marilyn-monroe-was-so-minimally-gifted-as-to-be/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [Of praise a mere glutton, he swallow'd what came, And the puff a dunce, he mistook it for fame; Till his relish grown callous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/of-praise-a-mere-glutton-he-swallow-d-what-came-and-the-puff-a-dunce/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [It is curious that some learned dunces, because they can write nonsense in languages that are dead, should despise those that talk sense in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-curious-that-some-learned-dunces-because-they-can-write/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Slang is a foul pool at which every dunce fills his bucket, and then sets up as a fountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/slang-is-a-foul-pool-at-which-every-dunce-fills-his-bucket-and-then/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy-toole/when-my-brain-begins-to-reel-from-my-literary-labors-i-make-an-2/) [John Kennedy Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy-toole/) > [Rebukes are easy from our betters, From men of quality and letters; But when low dunces will affront, What man alive can stand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/rebukes-are-easy-from-our-betters-from-men-of-quality-and-letters-but/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) Browse all 52 Dunces quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact is that previously they were simply dunces and now they've suddenly become nihilists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-simply-dunces-and-now-they-ve/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dunces" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-simply-dunces-and-now-they-ve/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/anonymous-1_dunces_the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-si_2038421.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact is that previously they were simply dunces and now they've suddenly become nihilists.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fact is that previously they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-simply-dunces-and-now-they-ve/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-is-that-previously-they-were-simply-dunces-and-now-they-ve/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```