--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I say be skeptical of everything I…" description: "\"When I say be skeptical of everything I mean it. Just because someone was elected to do a job doesn't mean that person has any idea of what they're doi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/bob-kerrey-25251_ideas_when-i-say-be-skeptical-of-everything-i_2952468.jpg" --- # When I say be skeptical of everything I mean it. Just… ![“When I say be skeptical of everything I mean it. Just because someone was elected to do a job doesn't mean that person has any idea of what they're doing.” quote by Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/bob-kerrey-25251_ideas_when-i-say-be-skeptical-of-everything-i_2952468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/bob-kerrey-25251_ideas_when-i-say-be-skeptical-of-everything-i_2952468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/bob-kerrey-25251_ideas_when-i-say-be-skeptical-of-everything-i_2952468.jpg) > “When I say be skeptical of everything I mean it. Just because someone was elected to do a job doesn't mean that person has any idea of what they're doing.” [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning authority is essential; elected positions do not guarantee competence or insight. **In simple terms:** Don't trust titles blindly. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate leaders. Themes skepticism authority critical thinking Mood cautious inquisitive Type advice political When to use this quote - voting decisions - workplace leadership - policy analysis Key Concepts political accountability cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance healthy skepticism with constructive engagement? - When should you trust expertise over titles? A Different Perspective Authority can be misused; skepticism may erode trust if overapplied. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) ## Related quotes > [Should doubt knock at your doorway, just say to those skeptical, disturbing, rebellious thoughts, I propose to stay with my faith, with the faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/should-doubt-knock-at-your-doorway-just-say-to-those-skeptical/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [If you are elected to do a job, you are supposed to do it to the best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-judge/if-you-are-elected-to-do-a-job-you-are-supposed-to-do-it-to-the-best/) [Patty Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-judge/) > [We have to get back to a government where leaders are willing to talk across party lines and do not have absolute politics as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-judge/we-have-to-get-back-to-a-government-where-leaders-are-willing-to-talk-2/) [Patty Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-judge/) > [I was elected by the people of Australia as Prime Minister of Australia. I was elected to do a job, I intend to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/i-was-elected-by-the-people-of-australia-as-prime-minister-of/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) > [Always remember that the greatest movements in history began with one person and an idea. Look at Martin Luther King and Gandhi, they inspired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-lestansky/always-remember-that-the-greatest-movements-in-history-began-with-one/) Corey Lestansky > [Don't be just a person, Be an Idea, because when you become an Idea,You become something more, you penetrate minds, influence generations and revolutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/don-t-be-just-a-person-be-an-idea-because-when-you-become-an-idea-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Since I write in first person and have no idea what goes on in men's heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/since-i-write-in-first-person-and-have-no-idea-what-goes-on-in-men-s/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Three components make an entrepreneur: the person, the idea and the resources to make it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/three-components-make-an-entrepreneur-the-person-the-idea-and-the/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [One thing has always been true: That book or that person who can give me an idea or a new slant on an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/one-thing-has-always-been-true-that-book-or-that-person-who-can-give/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [“The featureless trundle of my existence began to change. At the time, I didn't have the insight to wonder at the transient nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/the-featureless-trundle-of-my-existence-began-to-change-at-the-time-i/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [She's talking about herself in the third person because the idea of being who she is, of acknowledging that she is herself, is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kane/she-s-talking-about-herself-in-the-third-person-because-the-idea-of/) [Sarah Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kane/) > [I was in correspondence with an anonymous source for about five months and in the process of developing a dialogue you build ideas, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-poitras/i-was-in-correspondence-with-an-anonymous-source-for-about-five/) [Laura Poitras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-poitras/) > [The average person's idea of a great man, rather than one who serves, is of one who succeeds in getting himself served.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/the-average-person-s-idea-of-a-great-man-rather-than-one-who-serves/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Love is a person's idea about his/her needs in other person what you are attracted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/love-is-a-person-s-idea-about-his-her-needs-in-other-person-what-you/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“The worst thing in the world is to...live by another person's idea of who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-michael/the-worst-thing-in-the-world-is-to-live-by-another-person-s-idea-of/) Michele Michael ## More by Bob Kerrey > [It's not clear in the U.S. at the moment, either. We're going through another election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/it-s-not-clear-in-the-u-s-at-the-moment-either-we-re-going-through/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [I've been a Yankees fan since I was six.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/i-ve-been-a-yankees-fan-since-i-was-six/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [I value public service and I'm relatively good at organizing political causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/i-value-public-service-and-i-m-relatively-good-at-organizing/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [My view is that you never argue with the customer about your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/my-view-is-that-you-never-argue-with-the-customer-about-your-name/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [When you're fighting for economic and social justice, you're always fighting for the minority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/when-you-re-fighting-for-economic-and-social-justice-you-re-always/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [It was not just inappropriate behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/it-was-not-just-inappropriate-behavior/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change. Kindness that catches us by surprise brings out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/unexpected-kindness-is-the-most-powerful-least-costly-and-most/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/unexpected-kindness-is-the-most-powerful-least-costly-and-most-2/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [But on the big things, I'm not going to trim in order to win public opinion. Because I really don't want to serve in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/but-on-the-big-things-i-m-not-going-to-trim-in-order-to-win-public/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [If you look beyond the short term violence and instability, you do see significant activities on the part of the Iraqi people that indicate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/if-you-look-beyond-the-short-term-violence-and-instability-you-do-see/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [The cheapest gift I have to give is kindness, and it is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/the-cheapest-gift-i-have-to-give-is-kindness-and-it-is-the-best/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [Like Jonah, the whale had swallowed me; unlike him, I believed I would spend eternity inside the belly of the beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/like-jonah-the-whale-had-swallowed-me-unlike-him-i-believed-i-would/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [I thought dying for your country was the worst thing that could happen to you. I think killing for your country can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/i-thought-dying-for-your-country-was-the-worst-thing-that-could/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [A hero is someone who over and over does the right thing even though no one is there to witness it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/a-hero-is-someone-who-over-and-over-does-the-right-thing-even-though/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) > [Slow down, especially at the beginning of a speech. You'll get the audience's attention by pausing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kerrey/slow-down-especially-at-the-beginning-of-a-speech-you-ll-get-the/) [Bob Kerrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) [Explore all 23 Bob Kerrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kerrey/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I say be skeptical of everything I mean it. 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