--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since the truth may not be what we would…" description: "\"Since the truth may not be what we would prefer. It is revealing that so many people today express approval by saying, \"I'm comfortable with that,\" and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/douglas-groothuis-41257_approval_since-the-truth-may-not-be-what-we-would_1234016.png" --- # Since the truth may not be what we would prefer. It is… ![“Since the truth may not be what we would prefer. It is revealing that so many people today express approval by saying, "I'm comfortable with that," and disapproval by saying, "I'm not comfortable with that." Comfort is important when it comes to furniture and headphones, but it is irrelevant when…” quote by Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/douglas-groothuis-41257_approval_since-the-truth-may-not-be-what-we-would_1234016.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/douglas-groothuis-41257_approval_since-the-truth-may-not-be-what-we-would_1234016.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/785/douglas-groothuis-41257_approval_since-the-truth-may-not-be-what-we-would_1234016.png) > “Since the truth may not be what we would prefer. It is revealing that so many people today express approval by saying, "I'm comfortable with that," and disapproval by saying, "I'm not comfortable with that." Comfort is important when it comes to furniture and headphones, but it is irrelevant when it comes to truth.” [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that comfort should not dictate our acceptance of truth; we often avoid uncomfortable facts by labeling them uncomfortable. **In simple terms:** Comfort should not decide truth. Key Takeaway Prioritize truth over comfort. Themes truth comfort critical thinking integrity social pressure Mood reflective critical serious Type philosophical advice observational When to use this quote - political discourse - media consumption - personal relationships - decision making Key Concepts cognitive bias ethical honesty social conformity Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when comfort is influencing your judgment? - What steps can you take to confront uncomfortable truths? A Different Perspective Comfort can be a useful heuristic in some contexts, but overreliance may blind us to reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Comfort Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort-important-420643/) [Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Comfortable Disapproval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable-disapproval-3828345/) [Disapproval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disapproval/) [Disapproval Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disapproval-saying-3828346/) [Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furniture/) [Headphones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/headphones/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Irrelevant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrelevant/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Revealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revealing/) [Saying Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-comfortable-2146483/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm saying you would not be comfortable with casual sex. Or whatever we're talking about here. The National Honor Society version of prostitution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/i-m-saying-you-would-not-be-comfortable-with-casual-sex-or-whatever/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [Part of wearing a tee is saying, 'I'm comfortable and casual.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-seacrest/part-of-wearing-a-tee-is-saying-i-m-comfortable-and-casual/) [Ryan Seacrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-seacrest/) > [Comfort is important. I wanna put jeans on and kind of forget about them unless someone is giving me a compliment on how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-la-anthony/comfort-is-important-i-wanna-put-jeans-on-and-kind-of-forget-about/) [La La Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-la-anthony/) > [Fashion, for me, is comfort. It is the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithvik-dhanjani/fashion-for-me-is-comfort-it-is-the-most-important-thing-for-me/) [Rithvik Dhanjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithvik-dhanjani/) > [Comfort is very important to me. I think people live better in big houses and in big clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianni-versace/comfort-is-very-important-to-me-i-think-people-live-better-in-big/) [Gianni Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianni-versace/) > [When I'm not working, I like to be comfortable. I do like to dress smart, but comfort is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-madden/when-i-m-not-working-i-like-to-be-comfortable-i-do-like-to-dress/) [Richard Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-madden/) > [Supreme elegance begins with comfort, the most important design element of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haleh-alemzadeh-niroo/supreme-elegance-begins-with-comfort-the-most-important-design/) [Haleh Alemzadeh Niroo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haleh-alemzadeh-niroo/) > [I have to be comfortable with what I wear. I don't care if I don't look that great. Comfort is most important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/i-have-to-be-comfortable-with-what-i-wear-i-don-t-care-if-i-don-t/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [I have no problem with the idea of comfort, but it is not an important thing aesthetically. If you look at a shoe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/i-have-no-problem-with-the-idea-of-comfort-but-it-is-not-an-important/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [Don't look left nor right and never compete. Never. Watching the other guy is what kills all forms of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-vreeland/don-t-look-left-nor-right-and-never-compete-never-watching-the-other/) [Diana Vreeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-vreeland/) > [The heart wants what the heart wants," she says, somewhat cryptically. I purse my lips in disapproval. "You'd think the heart would know better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/the-heart-wants-what-the-heart-wants-she-says-somewhat-cryptically-i/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [Collective judgment of new ideas is so often wrong that it is arguable that progress depends on individuals being free to back their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-arthur-lewis/collective-judgment-of-new-ideas-is-so-often-wrong-that-it-is/) [W. Arthur Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-arthur-lewis/) > [Anger is the ultimate troublemaker. I feel you can express a strong disapproval or dislike of an object without losing your temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/anger-is-the-ultimate-troublemaker-i-feel-you-can-express-a-strong/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Disapproval is a very important factor in all progress. There has really never been any progress without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-henry-breasted/disapproval-is-a-very-important-factor-in-all-progress-there-has/) [James Henry Breasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-henry-breasted/) ## More by Douglas Groothuis > [“Diversion consoles us - in trivial ways - in the face of our miseries or perplexities; yet, paradoxically, it becomes the worst of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/diversion-consoles-us-in-trivial-ways-in-the-face-of-our-miseries-or/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [Tied to the value of the person is the principle of servanthood. We value what we freely serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/tied-to-the-value-of-the-person-is-the-principle-of-servanthood-we/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [The doctrine of hell does not stand alone as a kind of ancient Christian horror story. Rather, hell is inseparable from three other interrelated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/the-doctrine-of-hell-does-not-stand-alone-as-a-kind-of-ancient/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [“Humankind cannot bear very much reality. -TS Elliot, quoted by Groothuis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/humankind-cannot-bear-very-much-reality-ts-elliot-quoted-by-groothuis/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [“The way we interact online becomes the norm for how we interact offline. Facebook and Twitter communications are pretty short, clipped, and very rapid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/the-way-we-interact-online-becomes-the-norm-for-how-we-interact/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [The book, that stubbornly unelectric artifact of pure typography, possesses resources conducive to the flourishing of the soul. A thoughtful reading of the printed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/the-book-that-stubbornly-unelectric-artifact-of-pure-typography/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [Without a thorough and deeply rooted understanding of the biblical view of truth as revealed, objective, absolute, universal, eternally engaging, antithetical and exclusive, unified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/without-a-thorough-and-deeply-rooted-understanding-of-the-biblical/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [The statistics reveal a failure of nerve on the part of many Christians. They seem to be simply unable to muster the strength necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/the-statistics-reveal-a-failure-of-nerve-on-the-part-of-many/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) > [All forms of yoga involve occult assumptions, even hatha yoga, which is often presented as a merely physical discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-groothuis/all-forms-of-yoga-involve-occult-assumptions-even-hatha-yoga-which-is/) [Douglas Groothuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) [Explore all 10 Douglas Groothuis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-groothuis/) ## More Approval quotes > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Comedy is a very approval-oriented field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/comedy-is-a-very-approval-oriented-field/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Whenever you are too worried about someone else's approval, that person loses respect for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/whenever-you-are-too-worried-about-someone-else-s-approval-that/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Pleasure is Nature's test, her sign of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/pleasure-is-nature-s-test-her-sign-of-approval/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Do you really mean the only reason you try to be good is to gain God's approval and reward? That's not morality, that's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/do-you-really-mean-the-only-reason-you-try-to-be-good-is-to-gain-god/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Browse all 904 Approval quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since the truth may not be what we would prefer. 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