--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A long time ago a bunch of people reached…" description: "\"A long time ago a bunch of people reached a general consensus as to what's real and what's not and most of us have been going along with it ever since...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/charles-de-lint-1481_bunch_a-long-time-ago-a-bunch-of-people-reache_2679685.png" --- # A long time ago a bunch of people reached a general… ![“A long time ago a bunch of people reached a general consensus as to what's real and what's not and most of us have been going along with it ever since.” quote by Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/charles-de-lint-1481_bunch_a-long-time-ago-a-bunch-of-people-reache_2679685.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/charles-de-lint-1481_bunch_a-long-time-ago-a-bunch-of-people-reache_2679685.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/charles-de-lint-1481_bunch_a-long-time-ago-a-bunch-of-people-reache_2679685.png) > “A long time ago a bunch of people reached a general consensus as to what's real and what's not and most of us have been going along with it ever since.” [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal consensus shapes reality, but it can be fragile and subject to change over time. **In simple terms:** Shared beliefs define reality. Key Takeaway Question accepted truths. Themes society truth consensus Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - media consumption - community decision making Key Concepts Social constructivism collective belief Questions to Reflect On - How do you challenge prevailing narratives? - When have you seen consensus shift? A Different Perspective Consensus can suppress minority perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consensus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consensus/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There's a general consensus of opinion that people in love are apt to look silly -- except to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wentworth/there-s-a-general-consensus-of-opinion-that-people-in-love-are-apt-to/) [Patricia Wentworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-wentworth/) > [The general consensus seems to be that I don't act at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cooper/the-general-consensus-seems-to-be-that-i-don-t-act-at-all/) [Gary Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cooper/) > [“Going against a general consensus is not for the timid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/going-against-a-general-consensus-is-not-for-the-timid/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [When I was a kid, people reached out and gave me a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-adams/when-i-was-a-kid-people-reached-out-and-gave-me-a-chance/) [Katrina Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-adams/) > [I've known several people who reached the point where they realised they could shape the world for their kids and introduce them to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/i-ve-known-several-people-who-reached-the-point-where-they-realised/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [“People are not being reached in the context of the body of Christ--they're like newborn babies being left on a doorstep somewhere to feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-e-gillquist/people-are-not-being-reached-in-the-context-of-the-body-of-christ/) Peter E. Gillquist > [The more people are reached by mass communication, the less they communicate with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/the-more-people-are-reached-by-mass-communication-the-less-they/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [“That he was an arse seemed to be the general consensus of the day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/that-he-was-an-arse-seemed-to-be-the-general-consensus-of-the-day/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [There was a general consensus to go for the nuclear test. The whole nation wanted it, and it was done properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-qadeer-khan/there-was-a-general-consensus-to-go-for-the-nuclear-test-the-whole/) [Abdul Qadeer Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-qadeer-khan/) > [It appears that the general consensus is that the more something is forbidden, the more people want to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-appears-that-the-general-consensus-is-that-the-more-something-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“2,000–3,000 PEOPLE, NOT GENERAL FAME This is one of the messages Eric burned into my brain last year, and it’s guided many decisions since.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/2-000-3-000-people-not-general-fame-this-is-one-of-the-messages-eric/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [The vision of extraordinary achievement is,by definition, a few steps beyond consensus and conventional logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-vision-of-extraordinary-achievement-is-by-definition-a-few-steps/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [As a leader... 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