--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people would rather die than think…" description: "\"Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so.\" — Bertrand Russell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg" --- # Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do… ![“Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg) > “Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so.” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People avoid thinking because it is uncomfortable, leading to intellectual complacency. **In simple terms:** People prefer not to think. Key Takeaway Encourage critical thinking. Themes philosophy critical thinking comfort zones Mood provocative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - personal growth - public discourse Key Concepts cognitive bias intellectual laziness Questions to Reflect On - What topics do you avoid thinking about? - How can you make thinking less threatening? A Different Perspective Thinking can cause anxiety and conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Some people would rather die than think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/some-people-would-rather-die-than-think/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Most people would rather die than think and many of them do!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-people-would-rather-die-than-think-and-many-of-them-do/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Death is, in some ways, unacceptable. It's just an astonishing fact of our being here that we die; but I think worse than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/death-is-in-some-ways-unacceptable-it-s-just-an-astonishing-fact-of/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-people-would-sooner-die-than-think-in-fact-they-do-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-people-would-sooner-die-than-think-in-fact-they-do-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > […and you smile back and try not to think about the fact that you have nothing, absolutely nothing, to say to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/and-you-smile-back-and-try-not-to-think-about-the-fact-that-you-have/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Any fact facing us, however difficult, even seemingly hopeless, is not so important as our attitude towards that fact. How you think about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/any-fact-facing-us-however-difficult-even-seemingly-hopeless-is-not/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [If you look at a thing, the very fact of your looking changes it...if you think about yourself, that very fact changes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-penn-warren/if-you-look-at-a-thing-the-very-fact-of-your-looking-changes-it-if/) [Robert Penn Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-penn-warren/) > [Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/any-fact-facing-us-is-not-as-important-as-our-attitude-toward-it-for/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [“It doesn't feel that way to me. I think... Well, I think that maybe... you're dying to be human." There was almost a smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/it-doesn-t-feel-that-way-to-me-i-think-well-i-think-that-maybe-you-re/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [When you die, others who think they know you, will concoct things about you... Better pick up a pen and write it yourself, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/when-you-die-others-who-think-they-know-you-will-concoct-things-about/) [Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/) > [I don't think we die. I think our bodies leave, but we can never die. That which is never born, can never die. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/i-don-t-think-we-die-i-think-our-bodies-leave-but-we-can-never-die/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [We were born and we die. In between, I think we try to live as best we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-kurylenko/we-were-born-and-we-die-in-between-i-think-we-try-to-live-as-best-we/) [Olga Kurylenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-kurylenko/) > [“When you love someone as much as that, you don't believe they can die. You think your love protects them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/when-you-love-someone-as-much-as-that-you-don-t-believe-they-can-die/) [Irène Némirovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/) > [“She says that on the day you stop believing in love you may as will lie down and die. I think she may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-benton-frank/she-says-that-on-the-day-you-stop-believing-in-love-you-may-as-will/) [Dorothea Benton Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-benton-frank/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [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/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Poor David Hume is dying fast, but with more real cheerfulness and good humor and with more real resignation to the necessary course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/poor-david-hume-is-dying-fast-but-with-more-real-cheerfulness-and/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-people-would-rather-die-than-think-in-fact-they-do-so/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-people-would-rather-die-than-think-in-fact-they-do-so/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/582/bertrand-russell-69_christian_most-people-would-rather-die-than-think_2130156.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most people would rather die than think; in fact, they do so.” — Bertrand Russell", "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": "Bertrand Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most people would rather die than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-people-would-rather-die-than-think-in-fact-they-do-so/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/most-people-would-rather-die-than-think-in-fact-they-do-so/#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 } } ] } ```