--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: willfully blind: denying truths that were…" description: "\"“willfully blind: denying truths that were too painful, too frightening to confront. It’s something we all do, even when we have grown up. The problem ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/anonymous-1_truth_willfully-blind-denying-truths-that-were_2220257.jpg" --- # willfully blind: denying truths that were too painful, too… ![“willfully blind: denying truths that were too painful, too frightening to confront. It’s something we all do, even when we have grown up. The problem arises when we use the same mechanism to deny uncomfortable truths that cry out for acknowledgment, debate, action, and change.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/anonymous-1_truth_willfully-blind-denying-truths-that-were_2220257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/anonymous-1_truth_willfully-blind-denying-truths-that-were_2220257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66a/anonymous-1_truth_willfully-blind-denying-truths-that-were_2220257.jpg) > ““willfully blind: denying truths that were too painful, too frightening to confront. It’s something we all do, even when we have grown up. The problem arises when we use the same mechanism to deny uncomfortable truths that cry out for acknowledgment, debate, action, and change.”” [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. People deny painful truths, a coping mechanism that hinders acknowledgment, debate, and change. **In simple terms:** Denial blocks truth and progress. Key Takeaway Confront uncomfortable facts to enable growth. Themes psychology social change truth Mood cautious thoughtful Type critical motivational When to use this quote - personal reflection - public policy - activism Key Concepts Cognitive dissonance social resistance Questions to Reflect On - When is denial harmful? - How to foster constructive dialogue? A Different Perspective Denial can be protective in trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blind Denying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-denying-4953074/) [Denying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denying/) [Denying Truths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denying-truths-4953075/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Uncomfortable Truths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable-truths-2704757/) [Willfully Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willfully-blind-2946917/) ## Related quotes > [A persons heart has countless levels. Its depth cannot be known. Its limit cant be known. You could fight to the death, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-persons-heart-has-countless-levels-its-depth-cannot-be-known-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [History is never invisible, finally, though some people seem to work very hard to be willfully blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/history-is-never-invisible-finally-though-some-people-seem-to-work/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [“There’s the blind, Mr. Grimaldi, there’s the willfully blind, and then there’s the soon to be retired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/there-s-the-blind-mr-grimaldi-there-s-the-willfully-blind-and-then/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Fox is Trump's safe space. It's where he's not going to be humiliated, where he's not going to hear uncomfortable truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/fox-is-trump-s-safe-space-it-s-where-he-s-not-going-to-be-humiliated/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [“The lesson is that the medium is not the message, that we must not ignore uncomfortable truths just because they come through an unimpressive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/the-lesson-is-that-the-medium-is-not-the-message-that-we-must-not/) [Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/) > [My privilege as a white man, my privilege as the mayor and the leader of the institutions of power in this community I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-wheeler/my-privilege-as-a-white-man-my-privilege-as-the-mayor-and-the-leader/) [Ted Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-wheeler/) > [“He had always assumed gossip to be the malicious whispering of uncomfortable truths not the fabrication of absurdities. How was one to protect oneself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-simonson/he-had-always-assumed-gossip-to-be-the-malicious-whispering-of/) [Helen Simonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-simonson/) > [Hillbillies learn from an early age to deal with uncomfortable truths by avoiding them or by pretending better truths exist. This tendency might make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/hillbillies-learn-from-an-early-age-to-deal-with-uncomfortable-truths/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Dont shoot the messenger for revealing uncomfortable truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/dont-shoot-the-messenger-for-revealing-uncomfortable-truths/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Silence is the best answer you can give to an issue. What's the use of admitting, denying and to justify, when you have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/silence-is-the-best-answer-you-can-give-to-an-issue-what-s-the-use-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you refuse to allow another to give to you, you are being selfish by denying them the joy of giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-refuse-to-allow-another-to-give-to-you-you-are-being-selfish/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Denying rumors gave them more power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/denying-rumors-gave-them-more-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Training can get on a man's nerves. There is no profit or use in denying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/training-can-get-on-a-man-s-nerves-there-is-no-profit-or-use-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Theres nothing wrong with admitting youre in love with him, whats wrong is that you keep on denying it even though its obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/theres-nothing-wrong-with-admitting-youre-in-love-with-him-whats/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am not questioning your honor, I am denying its existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-questioning-your-honor-i-am-denying-its-existence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Denying quotes > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [That's good; don't deny it. Denying the undeniable just makes you sound like a fool as well as a liar. In this profession, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/that-s-good-don-t-deny-it-denying-the-undeniable-just-makes-you-sound/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [As far as implying that we know what we're doing, that we have perspective enough - by diving fully into something it requires a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/as-far-as-implying-that-we-know-what-we-re-doing-that-we-have/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [I am quite a romantic person, really, and I should have put that into my music earlier, but I was probably denying it... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-idol/i-am-quite-a-romantic-person-really-and-i-should-have-put-that-into/) [Billy Idol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-idol/) > [I'm not selling out, denying who I am or where I've come from, not at all. I acknowledge that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-m-not-selling-out-denying-who-i-am-or-where-i-ve-come-from-not-at/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [Patrons, don't berate bouncers for denying you entry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-evans/patrons-don-t-berate-bouncers-for-denying-you-entry/) [Sean Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-evans/) > [Obamacare is going to destroy the elderly by denying care, by even perhaps denying treatment to people who are in catastrophic circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-cruz/obamacare-is-going-to-destroy-the-elderly-by-denying-care-by-even/) [Rafael Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-cruz/) > [“The corporate government is completely okay with sending sickened people into extreme poverty for the rest of their lives by blatantly denying their genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-corporate-government-is-completely-okay-with-sending-sickened/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I am not questioning your honor, I am denying its existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-questioning-your-honor-i-am-denying-its-existence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Denying what you are didn't keep people from knowing what you are." "And flaunting it isn't what saved you." Ykka takes a deep breath.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/denying-what-you-are-didn-t-keep-people-from-knowing-what-you-are-and/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“Stevie: (Not listening) That you can do these two things... and not understand how it... SHATTERS THE GLASS!!?? How it cannot be dealt with-how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/stevie-not-listening-that-you-can-do-these-two-things-and-not/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Theres nothing wrong with admitting youre in love with him, whats wrong is that you keep on denying it even though its obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/theres-nothing-wrong-with-admitting-youre-in-love-with-him-whats/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometime in the not too distant future, denying gays the right to marry will be viewed as historically corrupt - as corrupt as denying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/sometime-in-the-not-too-distant-future-denying-gays-the-right-to/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [“That feels like the worst part: denying people hope. I don't know where I'd be if I couldn't even tell myself that any day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-hardy/that-feels-like-the-worst-part-denying-people-hope-i-don-t-know-where/) [Nicole Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-hardy/) > [By denying scientific principles, one may maintain any paradox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/by-denying-scientific-principles-one-may-maintain-any-paradox/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) [Browse all 202 Denying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“willfully blind: denying truths that were too painful, too frightening to confront. It’s something we all do, even when we have grown up. 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