--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One might equate growing up with a…" description: "\"One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A mature person trusts his eyes more than his ears. Irrationality often manifests itself in uphol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/eric-hoffer-343_believer_one-might-equate-growing-up-with-a-mistr_2669043.jpg" --- # One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A… ![“One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A mature person trusts his eyes more than his ears. Irrationality often manifests itself in upholding the word against the evidence of the eyes. Children, savages and true believers remember far less what they have seen than what they have heard.” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/eric-hoffer-343_believer_one-might-equate-growing-up-with-a-mistr_2669043.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/eric-hoffer-343_believer_one-might-equate-growing-up-with-a-mistr_2669043.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46c/eric-hoffer-343_believer_one-might-equate-growing-up-with-a-mistr_2669043.jpg) > “One might equate growing up with a mistrust of words. A mature person trusts his eyes more than his ears. Irrationality often manifests itself in upholding the word against the evidence of the eyes. Children, savages and true believers remember far less what they have seen than what they have heard.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mistrust of words leads to reliance on sight; evidence outweighs hearsay. **In simple terms:** Sight over words. Key Takeaway Prioritize direct observation. Themes skepticism perception truth communication experience Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - media consumption - education - personal relationships Key Concepts epistemology cognitive bias critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When is spoken word more reliable? - How do we verify what we see? A Different Perspective May undervalue verbal testimony. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Ears Irrationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears-irrationality-2488924/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Gathering data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gathering-data/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing Mistrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-mistrust-2488925/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [His eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his-eyes/) [Irrationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrationality/) [Mature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mature/) [Mature person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mature-person/) [Maturity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maturity/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Mistrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistrust/) [Mistrust Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistrust-words-2488923/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Senses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senses/) [True believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-believer/) [Words Mature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-mature-2488926/) ## Related quotes > [It was as if he had come to mistrust words somehow. 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Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Believer quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [I've always been a believer in research. 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