--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a culture that has, for…" description: "\"“We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than the one who believes. You can b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg" --- # We live in a culture that has, for centuries now… ![“We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than the one who believes. You can be almost as stupid as a cabbage, as long as you doubt. The fashion of the age has identified mental sharpness with a pose, not with genuine…” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg) > ““We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than the one who believes. You can be almost as stupid as a cabbage, as long as you doubt. The fashion of the age has identified mental sharpness with a pose, not with genuine intellectual method and character.”” [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often equates doubt with intelligence, ignoring that true wisdom comes from genuine inquiry and character. **In simple terms:** Doubt isn’t proof of intelligence; real wisdom needs honest thinking. Key Takeaway Value honest inquiry over mere skepticism. Themes skepticism intelligence culture character inquiry Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - public discourse - personal growth - media criticism Key Concepts philosophy epistemology psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish healthy skepticism from pretentious doubt? - What habits foster genuine intellectual humility? A Different Perspective Doubt can become a shield for ignorance if not paired with sincere curiosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believes Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believes-stupid-1357196/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Person Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-smarter-833769/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) [Skeptical Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical-person-2002338/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Smarter Believes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarter-believes-5038557/) ## Related quotes > [We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than one who believes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centuries-now-cultivated-the-idea/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“It won’t surprise you to hear that I’m a skeptical person. I don’t even believe half the garbage that tumbles from my own mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-starmer/it-won-t-surprise-you-to-hear-that-i-m-a-skeptical-person-i-don-t/) [Aaron Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-starmer/) > [I'm a pretty skeptical person, and I'm a realistic person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/i-m-a-pretty-skeptical-person-and-i-m-a-realistic-person/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [I'm a pretty skeptical person, and I question a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-hayward/i-m-a-pretty-skeptical-person-and-i-question-a-lot/) [Gordon Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-hayward/) > [“The test of character posed by the gentleness of God's approach to us is especially dangerous for those formed by the ideas that dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-test-of-character-posed-by-the-gentleness-of-god-s-approach-to-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The cleverest trick of the Devil is that nobody believes in him. It. Her. Well, we have been very stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-cleverest-trick-of-the-devil-is-that-nobody-believes-in-him-it/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Instead of using this space to pretend the newly released CIA 'torture' report confirms that the United States is the most evil nation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-limbaugh/instead-of-using-this-space-to-pretend-the-newly-released-cia-torture/) [David Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-limbaugh/) > [Intelligent people tend to have less friends than the average person. The smarter you are, the more selective you become!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/intelligent-people-tend-to-have-less-friends-than-the-average-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was always the best athlete, people don't know that. But I was successful at everything I ever did and then I run for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-was-always-the-best-athlete-people-don-t-know-that-but-i-was/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Don't be one of those who don't want others to be empowered. Share information. Try to make the next person, smarter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/don-t-be-one-of-those-who-don-t-want-others-to-be-empowered-share/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Another person who's smarter than I. What a relief to not have to be the smartest guy anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winer/another-person-who-s-smarter-than-i-what-a-relief-to-not-have-to-be/) [Dave Winer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winer/) > [At the end of the day, you're not defined, I don't believe, by your financial means. That doesn't make you a better person or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-posen/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-re-not-defined-i-don-t-believe-by-your/) [Zac Posen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-posen/) > [I write stories about conspiracies and paranoid characters while I am, in fact, a very skeptical person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-write-stories-about-conspiracies-and-paranoid-characters-while-i-am/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“Student: What should someone who follows his leader but is much smarter than that leader do, master? Master: Let me correct this mistake first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/student-what-should-someone-who-follows-his-leader-but-is-much/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I'm not a very skeptical person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/i-m-not-a-very-skeptical-person/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) ## More by Dallas Willard > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) [Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than the one who believes. You can be almost as stupid as a cabbage, as long as you doubt. The fashion of the age has identified mental sharpness with a pose, not with genuine intellectual method and character.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dallas Willard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centuries-now-cultivated-the-idea-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centuries-now-cultivated-the-idea-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/dallas-willard-819_belief_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_2242167.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always…” — Dallas Willard", "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": "Dallas Willard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We live in a culture that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centuries-now-cultivated-the-idea-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centuries-now-cultivated-the-idea-2/#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 } } ] } ```