--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more people doubt their own beliefs…" description: "\"The more people doubt their own beliefs the more, paradoxically, they are inclined to proselytize in favor of them.\" — David Brooks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png" --- # The more people doubt their own beliefs the more… ![“The more people doubt their own beliefs the more, paradoxically, they are inclined to proselytize in favor of them.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png) > “The more people doubt their own beliefs the more, paradoxically, they are inclined to proselytize in favor of them.” [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Doubt fuels conviction, prompting people to zealously defend their beliefs. **In simple terms:** Doubt strengthens belief. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before defending. Themes psychology belief social dynamics Mood analytical thought‑provoking Type psychological social science When to use this quote - political debates - online forums - personal relationships Key Concepts cognitive bias identity group behavior Questions to Reflect On - Why do we cling to beliefs under doubt? - How can we foster open dialogue? A Different Perspective Strong convictions can become dogmatic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Doubt your doubts before you doubt your beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chace-crawford/doubt-your-doubts-before-you-doubt-your-beliefs/) [Chace Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chace-crawford/) > [William James used to preach the "will-to-believe." For my part, I should wish to preach the "will-to-doubt." None of our beliefs are quite true;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/william-james-used-to-preach-the-will-to-believe-for-my-part-i-should-3/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Instead of striving for certainty, we should be in constant search of doubt: doubt about our own beliefs, doubt about our own feelings, doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/instead-of-striving-for-certainty-we-should-be-in-constant-search-of/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“I’m telling you that you should doubt—as I do my own beliefs. The day on which you decide not to question what you believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-islington/i-m-telling-you-that-you-should-doubt-as-i-do-my-own-beliefs-the-day/) [James Islington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-islington/) > [“William James used to preach the “will to believe.” For my part, I should wish to preach the “will to doubt.” None of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/william-james-used-to-preach-the-will-to-believe-for-my-part-i-should/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I felt like going out on the road and mixing it with music - which is something young people are always really interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-felt-like-going-out-on-the-road-and-mixing-it-with-music-which-is/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [Learn a little of anything, and you're ready to proselytize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/learn-a-little-of-anything-and-you-re-ready-to-proselytize/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Preach or proselytize for Christianity in much of the Islamic world, and you are a candidate for martyrdom. Practice freedom of speech in Xi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/preach-or-proselytize-for-christianity-in-much-of-the-islamic-world/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I wish I could meet a Christian who would proselytize to me, but they keep running away from me. I wanna talk to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-wish-i-could-meet-a-christian-who-would-proselytize-to-me-but-they/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [It is an accurate statement that the followers of Witchcraft do not usually proselytize, which means you aren't going to find us standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silver-ravenwolf/it-is-an-accurate-statement-that-the-followers-of-witchcraft-do-not/) Silver RavenWolf > [ \[Castellani's testimony\] clearly illustrates the concern we have that there is no way to separate the efforts to proselytize from the efforts to reform… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-foxman/castellani-s-testimony-clearly-illustrates-the-concern-we-have-that/) [Abraham Foxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-foxman/) > [How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/how-much-do-you-have-to-hate-somebody-to-not-proselytize/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I don't think we should proselytize a particular religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/i-don-t-think-we-should-proselytize-a-particular-religion/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [Obviously, there's times in your career when people doubt you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/obviously-there-s-times-in-your-career-when-people-doubt-you/) [Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-oxlade-chamberlain/) > [When people doubt me, I want to prove them wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baker-mayfield/when-people-doubt-me-i-want-to-prove-them-wrong/) [Baker Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baker-mayfield/) ## More by David Brooks > [The brain is not the mind. It is probably impossible to look at a map of brain activity and predict or even understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-brain-is-not-the-mind-it-is-probably-impossible-to-look-at-a-map/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [When you're running for president, you're a guest in the living room for four years. And if people don't think you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-re-running-for-president-you-re-a-guest-in-the-living-room/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“I’ve come to think that flourishing consists of putting yourself in situations in which you lose self-consciousness and become fused with other people, experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-ve-come-to-think-that-flourishing-consists-of-putting-yourself-in/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [We have rapidly increasing technology, which is making life very good for people who are good at using words, and not so good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/we-have-rapidly-increasing-technology-which-is-making-life-very-good/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I think Barack Obama's foreign policy will be regarded more failure than success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-barack-obama-s-foreign-policy-will-be-regarded-more-failure/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If you know that most processing is below the level of awareness, you learn the value of sleep. You're brain is working on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-you-know-that-most-processing-is-below-the-level-of-awareness-you/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Trade has suddenly become massively unpopular. I think that's massively unjust. I think free trade has been wonderful for America on balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/trade-has-suddenly-become-massively-unpopular-i-think-that-s/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Politics is based on social identity, and so, again, there is going to be differences between rural and urban and between left and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/politics-is-based-on-social-identity-and-so-again-there-is-going-to/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Pain now is better than pain deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/pain-now-is-better-than-pain-deferred/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If it feels all right for you, it's probably OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-it-feels-all-right-for-you-it-s-probably-ok/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I do think Donald Trump is a fundamentally unstabilizing force and that the people who swore to uphold the Constitution are going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-do-think-donald-trump-is-a-fundamentally-unstabilizing-force-and/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“Women, in general, are less visually aroused than men, a trait that has nearly cut the market for pornography in half.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/women-in-general-are-less-visually-aroused-than-men-a-trait-that-has/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I wasn't born with a tie or with Mark Shields stapled to my left hip. I have another life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-wasn-t-born-with-a-tie-or-with-mark-shields-stapled-to-my-left-hip/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) [Explore all 431 David Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## 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": "The more people doubt their own beliefs the more, paradoxically, they are inclined to proselytize in favor of them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs-the-more-paradoxically-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs-the-more-paradoxically-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/david-brooks-644_belief_the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs_1557025.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The more people doubt their own beliefs the more, paradoxically, they are inclined to proselytize in favor…” — David Brooks", "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": "David Brooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The more people doubt their own...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs-the-more-paradoxically-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-more-people-doubt-their-own-beliefs-the-more-paradoxically-they/#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 } } ] } ```