---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like it or not, we're still a primitive…"
description: "\"Like it or not, we're still a primitive tribe ruled by fears, superstition and misinformation.\" — Bill Maher"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png"
---

#  Like it or not, we're still a primitive tribe ruled by…

![“Like it or not, we're still a primitive tribe ruled by fears, superstition and misinformation.” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png)

> “Like it or not, we're still a primitive tribe ruled by fears, superstition and misinformation.”

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human societies remain driven by fear, superstition, and false information despite progress.

**In simple terms:** We are ruled by fear and misinformation.

Key Takeaway

Question beliefs and seek truth.

Themes

critical thinking skepticism media literacy human nature

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

satirical philosophical

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- education reform
- media consumption
- personal decision‑making

Key Concepts

cognitive bias social dynamics information ecology

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you combat misinformation?
- What role does fear play in your choices?

A Different Perspective

Some fear can motivate protective behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fears Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fears-superstition-3264428/) [Misinformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misinformation/) [Primitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive/) [Primitive Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primitive-tribe-3264426/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition/) [Superstition Misinformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition-misinformation-1993833/) [Superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitions/) [Tribe Ruled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribe-ruled-3264430/) [Tribes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribes/)

## Related quotes

> [At any given moment, public opinion is a chaos of superstition, misinformation, and prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/at-any-given-moment-public-opinion-is-a-chaos-of-superstition/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Among all the world's races, some obscure Bedouin tribes possibly apart, Americans are the most prone to misinformation. This is not the consequence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/among-all-the-world-s-races-some-obscure-bedouin-tribes-possibly/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [“Dr. Lois Jolyon West was cleared at Top Secret for his work on MKULTRA. West's numerous connections to the mind control network illustrate how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-a-ross/dr-lois-jolyon-west-was-cleared-at-top-secret-for-his-work-on-mkultra/)

[Colin A. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-a-ross/)

> [“What is the flow and impact of disinformation? How is the disinformation spreading and what are its effects?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spitz/what-is-the-flow-and-impact-of-disinformation-how-is-the/)

[Roger spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spitz/)

> [I would never lie. I willfully participate in a campaign of misinformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fox-mulder/i-would-never-lie-i-willfully-participate-in-a-campaign-of/)

[Fox Mulder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fox-mulder/)

> [Actually I'm more culturally Muslim than religiously but being Muslim is an important part of my identity. As Muslim, I feel it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aasif-mandvi/actually-i-m-more-culturally-muslim-than-religiously-but-being-muslim/)

[Aasif Mandvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aasif-mandvi/)

> [I do know that if you can name certain things and understand them, it allows you to make better choices. Unfortunately, there's so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-santiago-baca/i-do-know-that-if-you-can-name-certain-things-and-understand-them-it/)

[Jimmy Santiago Baca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-santiago-baca/)

> [Movies are one of the bad habits that have corrupted our century. They have slipped into the American mind more misinformation in one evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/movies-are-one-of-the-bad-habits-that-have-corrupted-our-century-they/)

[Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/)

> [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-an-unquestionable-truth-that-the-body-of-the-people-in-every/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [“The government researchers, aware of the information in the professional journals, decided to reverse the process (of healing from hysteric dissociation). They decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-hersha/the-government-researchers-aware-of-the-information-in-the/)

[Cheryl Hersha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-hersha/)

> [“To tell the truth she was quite thrilled to be working at the very source of a magazine which helped build up much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rona-jaffe/to-tell-the-truth-she-was-quite-thrilled-to-be-working-at-the-very/)

[Rona Jaffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rona-jaffe/)

> [One of the greatest sources of problems in our society arises from people having loads of wrong theories in their heads - often theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/one-of-the-greatest-sources-of-problems-in-our-society-arises-from/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/)

[R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/)

> [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

## More by Bill Maher

> [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

[Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

## More Fear quotes

> [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/)

[Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/)

> [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/)

[Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/)

> [“...Often that which most we fear births the resolve that spurs us on to altitudes we could not have achieved, had we continued walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-t-anderson/often-that-which-most-we-fear-births-the-resolve-that-spurs-us-on-to/)

[M.T. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/)

> [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/)

[Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/)

> [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/)

[Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [“Snip off the little worries and expressions of worry” like little branches atop a tall tree.28 If you are truly worried, sharing your concerns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/snip-off-the-little-worries-and-expressions-of-worry-like-little/)

[Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/)

> [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/)

[Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/)

> [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/)

[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/)

[Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

[Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Like it or not, we're still a primitive tribe ruled by fears, superstition and misinformation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Maher"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-tribe-ruled-by-fears/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fear"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-tribe-ruled-by-fears/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/bill-maher-211_fear_like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-t_1152600.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Like it or not, we're still a primitive tribe ruled by fears, superstition and misinformation.” — Bill Maher",
                "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": "Bill Maher",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Like it or not, we're still...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-tribe-ruled-by-fears/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/like-it-or-not-we-re-still-a-primitive-tribe-ruled-by-fears/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
