--- 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 one who believes. You can almost..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/dallas-willard-819_believe_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_1421997.png" --- # 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 one who believes. You can almost be as stupid as a cabbage as long as you doubt.” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/dallas-willard-819_believe_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_1421997.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/dallas-willard-819_believe_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_1421997.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/dallas-willard-819_believe_we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centur_1421997.png) > “We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than one who believes. You can almost be as stupid as a cabbage as long as you doubt.” [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 values skepticism over belief, implying doubt is a sign of intelligence, while blind belief is seen as foolish. **In simple terms:** Doubt is praised as smart; belief is seen as naive. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions about doubt and belief. Themes skepticism belief intelligence culture critical thinking Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type aphilosophical analytical contemplative When to use this quote - debates - education - personal growth - decision making - faith discussions Key Concepts philosophy psychology social norms Questions to Reflect On - Do you equate doubt with intelligence? - When is belief beneficial? A Different Perspective Blind belief can also lead to insight; doubt may paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) ## Related quotes > [“We live in a culture that has, for centuries now, cultivated the idea that the skeptical person is always smarter than the one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-live-in-a-culture-that-has-for-centuries-now-cultivated-the-idea-2/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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 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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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'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 Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```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 one who believes. 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