--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing I hate worse than prophecy…" description: "\"The only thing I hate worse than prophecy is self-fulfilling prophecy\" — Bill Maher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/bill-maher-211_fulfilling_the-only-thing-i-hate-worse-than-prophec_2932882.png" --- # The only thing I hate worse than prophecy is… ![“The only thing I hate worse than prophecy is self-fulfilling prophecy” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/bill-maher-211_fulfilling_the-only-thing-i-hate-worse-than-prophec_2932882.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/bill-maher-211_fulfilling_the-only-thing-i-hate-worse-than-prophec_2932882.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/bill-maher-211_fulfilling_the-only-thing-i-hate-worse-than-prophec_2932882.png) > “The only thing I hate worse than prophecy is self-fulfilling prophecy” [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. Self‑fulfilling prophecies are worse than ordinary prophecies. **In simple terms:** Self‑fulfilling prophecies are especially harmful. Key Takeaway Beware of expectations that shape outcomes negatively. Themes psychology prophecy self‑fulfilling Mood critical analytical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - leadership - education - personal development - media - politics Key Concepts cognitive bias expectation management Questions to Reflect On - How can you break a negative self‑fulfilling cycle? - When can a prophecy be beneficial? A Different Perspective Not all prophecies are harmful; some motivate positively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fulfilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfilling/) [Fulfilling Prophecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfilling-prophecy-446143/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-worse-4084698/) [I hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-hate/) [Prophecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophecy/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self fulfilling prophecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-fulfilling-prophecy/) [Things i hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-i-hate/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) [Worse Prophecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-prophecy-4333096/) ## Related quotes > [Life is self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/life-is-self-fulfilling-prophecy/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [...you can't let something that'll probably never happen ruin your life. You're only helping to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-khoury/you-can-t-let-something-that-ll-probably-never-happen-ruin-your-life/) [Raymond Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-khoury/) > [The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-merton/the-self-fulfilling-prophecy-is-in-the-beginning-a-false-definition/) [Robert K. Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-merton/) > [Every theory is a self-fulfilling prophecy that orders experience into the framework it provides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-hubbard/every-theory-is-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy-that-orders-experience/) [Ruth Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-hubbard/) > [Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/whatever-we-expect-with-confidence-becomes-our-own-self-fulfilling/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I have great faith in optimism as a guiding principle, if only because it offers us the opportunity of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-have-great-faith-in-optimism-as-a-guiding-principle-if-only-because/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [It was almost as if I had a right to win. Thinking like that often seems to turn into sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/it-was-almost-as-if-i-had-a-right-to-win-thinking-like-that-often/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Al Gore is producing enough hot air to make his doomsday predictions about global warming a self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-farah/al-gore-is-producing-enough-hot-air-to-make-his-doomsday-predictions/) [Joseph Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-farah/) > [Oppression has no logic--just a self-fulfilling prophecy, justified by a self-perpetuating system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/oppression-has-no-logic-just-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy-justified-by/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Self-doubt is a self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/self-doubt-is-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy/) [Laurell K. 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We need an alternative vision, to see the world as one, as interconnected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/the-belief-in-the-inevitability-of-war-is-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [A self-fulfilling prophecy is an assumption or prediction that, purely as a result of having been made, cause the expected or predicted event to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watzlawick/a-self-fulfilling-prophecy-is-an-assumption-or-prediction-that-purely/) [Paul Watzlawick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watzlawick/) > [Optimism is a self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/optimism-is-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Pessimism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; it reproduces itself by crippling our willingness to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/pessimism-becomes-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy-it-reproduces-itself-by/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Pessimism is not only unwarranted, it is also a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think the cause is lost, it will be. No one works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-reed/pessimism-is-not-only-unwarranted-it-is-also-a-self-fulfilling/) [Lawrence Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-reed/) ## 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. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/when-youre-a-stay-at-home-mother-you-have-to-pretend-its-really/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [There is nothing more appalling than the wholesale way in which unthinking people plead to the Almighty the richest and most spiritual of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-drummond/there-is-nothing-more-appalling-than-the-wholesale-way-in-which/) [William Henry Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-drummond/) > [In the darkest of times, the most fulfilling thing in the world is finding the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mcafee/in-the-darkest-of-times-the-most-fulfilling-thing-in-the-world-is/) [Pat McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mcafee/) > [“Don't die without fulfilling your purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/don-t-die-without-fulfilling-your-purpose/) [Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/) > [Life is self-fulfilling prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/life-is-self-fulfilling-prophecy/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Believing you are worthy of love means that you believe I deserve to be treated well - with respect and dignity. I deserve to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/believing-you-are-worthy-of-love-means-that-you-believe-i-deserve-to/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Fear creates its own self-fulfilling dynamic- as people give into it, they lose energy and momentum. Their lack of confidence translates into inaction that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/fear-creates-its-own-self-fulfilling-dynamic-as-people-give-into-it/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [In terms of earthly life as you understand it, it is overly optimistic to imagine that eventually all illnesses will be conquered, all relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/in-terms-of-earthly-life-as-you-understand-it-it-is-overly-optimistic/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [I think as long as acting feels fulfilling and continues to feel fulfilling, it's worth it to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-sprouse/i-think-as-long-as-acting-feels-fulfilling-and-continues-to-feel/) [Cole Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-sprouse/) > [It is important that Miers not be confirmed unless, in her 61st year, she suddenly and unexpectedly is found to have hitherto undisclosed interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/it-is-important-that-miers-not-be-confirmed-unless-in-her-61st-year/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The easiest thing is to make sure you feel happy and satisfied in this moment. 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