--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human beings have the incredible capacity…" description: "\"Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But my feeling is th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/david-byrne-1206_believe_human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacit_25477.jpg" --- # Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I… ![“Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But my feeling is that first they have to convince themselves. First they have to justify this stuff to themselves and if they can do that, even for just the moment…” quote by David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/david-byrne-1206_believe_human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacit_25477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/david-byrne-1206_believe_human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacit_25477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/david-byrne-1206_believe_human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacit_25477.jpg) > “Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But my feeling is that first they have to convince themselves. First they have to justify this stuff to themselves and if they can do that, even for just the moment that it's coming out their mouth, then they can kind of mouth it with kind of believable sincerity, even if some of us.” [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often deny uncomfortable truths, convincing themselves first before expressing them, which creates a veneer of sincerity despite underlying doubt. **In simple terms:** Self‑deception fuels outward confidence. Key Takeaway Denial precedes belief. Themes psychology cognitive bias self‑justification authenticity communication Mood reflective cautious Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - political rhetoric - personal relationships - corporate messaging Key Concepts cognitive dissonance self‑deception social conformity Practical Applications - critical thinking training - authentic communication coaching Questions to Reflect On - When does self‑justification become harmful? - How can we recognize genuine belief versus rehearsed denial? A Different Perspective Some argue that denial can be a protective coping mechanism rather than mere self‑deception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Doubts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-doubts-410386/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Denial Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial-think-410385/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Feeling Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-convince-410387/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Hard to believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-to-believe/) [Incredibles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibles/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [It's o.k. if you're in denial now. You think you're o.k... 'you're over him, forget him, his loss, etc. etc.' .. the important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sage74/it-s-o-k-if-you-re-in-denial-now-you-think-you-re-o-k-you-re-over-him/) [Sage74](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sage74/) > [The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. We live in denial of what we do, even what we think. We do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-worst-lies-are-the-lies-we-tell-ourselves-we-live-in-denial-of/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [In actor's career, I had a fair amount of denial, which I think is possibly in the genes, where I just couldn't go to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-dowd/in-actor-s-career-i-had-a-fair-amount-of-denial-which-i-think-is/) [Ann Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-dowd/) > [I WANT TO KNOW I WILL BE THE ONE FOR WHO??? WHO WILL BE THE ONE??? I WANT TO BELIEVE YOU ARE... NOT DOUBTS.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tc/i-want-to-know-i-will-be-the-one-for-who-who-will-be-the-one-i-want/) [TC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tc/) > [Have you ever question why there are why's, but's, if's? I wonder why I ask this when I know the answer is Yes. Same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/have-you-ever-question-why-there-are-why-s-but-s-if-s-i-wonder-why-i/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [No matter what, ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Any doubts must be put out of your mind. If you find yourself thinking something negative, figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-anderson/no-matter-what-always-believe-in-yourself-any-doubts-must-be-put-out/) [Christine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-anderson/) > [God's unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-unfailing-love-for-us-is-an-objective-fact-affirmed-over-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe in faith. I believe in doubts. Each has it's own moment of importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/i-believe-in-faith-i-believe-in-doubts-each-has-it-s-own-moment-of/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“Both pieces are similar in one way:what one could believe, one doubts. Nicoise because one depends upon the moral sense of the filmmaker, The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/both-pieces-are-similar-in-one-way-what-one-could-believe-one-doubts/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“Maintain your integrity! Live life in such a way that when another person tells his or her truth, you'll not be committed for blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/maintain-your-integrity-live-life-in-such-a-way-that-when-another/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I love you,its simple saying,but hard to believe for someone who say it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madz/i-love-you-its-simple-saying-but-hard-to-believe-for-someone-who-say/) [Madz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madz/) > [People are still crazy about Python after twenty-five years, which I find hard to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-are-still-crazy-about-python-after-twenty-five-years-which-i/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [I hope you don’t mind my joining you,” said Leanne. I minded. After all, she’d tried to kill me. A girl in a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-hope-you-don-t-mind-my-joining-you-said-leanne-i-minded-after-all/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I still feel like a kid sometimes myself so hard to believe that I'm a mom. Now I'm an adult! It only took 38 years!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-ortiz/i-still-feel-like-a-kid-sometimes-myself-so-hard-to-believe-that-i-m/) [Ana Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-ortiz/) > [“I find it hard to believe that I shall die. Because I'm bubbling in cold freshness. My life will be very long because each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-find-it-hard-to-believe-that-i-shall-die-because-i-m-bubbling-in/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) ## More by David Byrne > [The voting booth joint is a great leveler; the whole neighborhood - rich, poor, old, young, decrepit and spunky - they all turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/the-voting-booth-joint-is-a-great-leveler-the-whole-neighborhood-rich/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I remember talking with Arcade Fire after their first record, when they were getting all kinds of offers from major labels, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-remember-talking-with-arcade-fire-after-their-first-record-when/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. 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Why? Am I not an attraction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-wave-to-the-double-decker-buses-from-my-bike-but-the-passengers/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Technology has altered the way music sounds, how it’s composed and how we experience it. It has also flooded the world with music. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/technology-has-altered-the-way-music-sounds-how-it-s-composed-and-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [A lot of that worked itself out in the recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/a-lot-of-that-worked-itself-out-in-the-recording/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I came to New York to be a fine artist - that was my ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-came-to-new-york-to-be-a-fine-artist-that-was-my-ambition/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Sometimes the European and North American public like some things to be exotic and kept at arm's length. 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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. 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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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But my feeling is that first they have to convince themselves. 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