--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really believe there is something in…" description: "\"I really believe there is something in the nature of a democracy that naturally leads people to distrust the government, to assume because a democracy ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg" --- # I really believe there is something in the nature of a… ![“I really believe there is something in the nature of a democracy that naturally leads people to distrust the government, to assume because a democracy is built by people just like themselves that there must be secret plots and cover-ups and wizards behind the scenes running the machine.” quote by Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg) > “I really believe there is something in the nature of a democracy that naturally leads people to distrust the government, to assume because a democracy is built by people just like themselves that there must be secret plots and cover-ups and wizards behind the scenes running the machine.” [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy’s openness breeds suspicion, leading people to imagine hidden conspiracies. **In simple terms:** People tend to distrust governments in democratic societies. Key Takeaway Recognize bias toward conspiracy thinking. Themes politics trust psychology Mood critical contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public discourse - media consumption - political activism Key Concepts social theory cognitive bias democratic ideals Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports or refutes hidden agendas? - How can healthy skepticism be balanced? A Different Perspective Not all distrust is irrational; legitimate concerns exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assume Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume-democracy-4380141/) [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Behind the scenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behind-the-scenes/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-built-336553/) [Democracy Naturally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-naturally-4521633/) [Distrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distrust/) [Distrust Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distrust-government-270209/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Distrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-distrust-1125413/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Scene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scene/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) ## Related quotes > [I always assume that democracy is the only good form of government, quite frankly, and democracy is always to be preferred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-kirkpatrick/i-always-assume-that-democracy-is-the-only-good-form-of-government/) [Jeane Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-kirkpatrick/) > [The only people who distrust the cops are crooks. They're not out there just harassing innocent people. Maybe sometimes they do. But there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-only-people-who-distrust-the-cops-are-crooks-they-re-not-out/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-people-i-distrust-most-are-those-who-want-to-improve-our-lives-2/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [The mainstream media today has the biggest disconnect with its audience that it's ever, ever had. And as the disconnect grows and as more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-mainstream-media-today-has-the-biggest-disconnect-with-its/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [While these attitudes are more visible when directed at government, there is ample evidence that many working people distrust their own union as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-teeter/while-these-attitudes-are-more-visible-when-directed-at-government/) [Robert Teeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-teeter/) > [The people I distrust most are those who want to improve our lives but have only one course of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-people-i-distrust-most-are-those-who-want-to-improve-our-lives/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [You cannot have democracy without the institutions. You cannot have a democracy that is built on the moods of self-interested people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/you-cannot-have-democracy-without-the-institutions-you-cannot-have-a/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [We Americans live in a great house that democracy built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/we-americans-live-in-a-great-house-that-democracy-built/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [The Greeks had invented democracy, built the Acropolis and called it a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/the-greeks-had-invented-democracy-built-the-acropolis-and-called-it-a/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Shakespeare examines how democracy is built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/shakespeare-examines-how-democracy-is-built/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [Democracy cannot be built on revenge and you will not have the support of the world if you are intolerant and take the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/democracy-cannot-be-built-on-revenge-and-you-will-not-have-the/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [So much of democracy is built on antagonism. It institutionalizes a certain kind of antagonism. This is not to say that we shouldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/so-much-of-democracy-is-built-on-antagonism-it-institutionalizes-a/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Our country was founded on a distrust of government. Our founding fathers gave power to the people to keep an eye on government. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/our-country-was-founded-on-a-distrust-of-government-our-founding/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [At no time in the past century has public distrust of the government been so broadly distributed across the political spectrum, as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-zimmermann/at-no-time-in-the-past-century-has-public-distrust-of-the-government/) [Phil Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-zimmermann/) ## More by Christopher Bollen > [Safety, reputation, their lives, their friends, and their world. Writers typically try to avoid that because it's not expedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/safety-reputation-their-lives-their-friends-and-their-world-writers/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There's something about fear and aesthetic that go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-something-about-fear-and-aesthetic-that-go-hand-in-hand/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. You're trying to stop the reader from solving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective-story-that-you-re-actually/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [ I'm convinced I was the only kid ever who had a Death on the Nile \[1978\] movie poster and a Murder on the Orient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-m-convinced-i-was-the-only-kid-ever-who-had-a-death-on-the-nile/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off-of-other-drives-leeching-off/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [It's hard for me to figure out where I want to be. But it's definitely in New York. 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They believed that the past had consequences and that you might be punished for the sins of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-greeks-really-believed-in-history-they-believed-that-the-past-had/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I was never afraid on stage. That's where I was the least afraid. I could just do what I do and I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-was-never-afraid-on-stage-that-s-where-i-was-the-least-afraid-i/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [One day I want to write a full-on horror book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/one-day-i-want-to-write-a-full-on-horror-book/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [When you create a fence, you keep people out, but you also limit your mobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/when-you-create-a-fence-you-keep-people-out-but-you-also-limit-your/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [I just think, as writers, especially with a book that takes years to write, you sort of wake up every morning hoping and praying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-just-think-as-writers-especially-with-a-book-that-takes-years-to/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [There is something very romantic about the orphan figure in American literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-is-something-very-romantic-about-the-orphan-figure-in-american/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) > [It is a little out of touch to presume that someone wants to follow your every observation and insight over the course of hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/it-is-a-little-out-of-touch-to-presume-that-someone-wants-to-follow/) [Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) [Explore all 72 Christopher Bollen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) [Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really believe there is something in the nature of a democracy that naturally leads people to distrust the government, to assume because a democracy is built by people just like themselves that there must be secret plots and cover-ups and wizards behind the scenes running the machine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Bollen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-the-nature-of-a-democracy-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-the-nature-of-a-democracy-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b51/christopher-bollen-9436_assuming_i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-t_1339591.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I really believe there is something in the nature of a democracy that naturally leads people to distrust the…” — Christopher Bollen", "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": "Christopher Bollen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I really believe there is something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-the-nature-of-a-democracy-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-really-believe-there-is-something-in-the-nature-of-a-democracy-that/#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 } } ] } ```