--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They say seeing is believing, but the…" description: "\"They say seeing is believing, but the opposite is true. Believing is seeing.\" — Errol Morris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/errol-morris-2512_believe_they-say-seeing-is-believing-but-the-opp_2003837.jpg" --- # They say seeing is believing, but the opposite is true… ![“They say seeing is believing, but the opposite is true. Believing is seeing.” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/errol-morris-2512_believe_they-say-seeing-is-believing-but-the-opp_2003837.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/errol-morris-2512_believe_they-say-seeing-is-believing-but-the-opp_2003837.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/errol-morris-2512_believe_they-say-seeing-is-believing-but-the-opp_2003837.jpg) > “They say seeing is believing, but the opposite is true. Believing is seeing.” [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief shapes perception; what we accept as true influences what we see. **In simple terms:** Belief determines perception. Key Takeaway Question assumptions. Themes philosophy perception belief truth cognition Mood thoughtful inquisitive philosophical Type cognitive epistemic When to use this quote - daily decision making - media consumption - personal relationships - critical thinking - education Key Concepts cognitive bias subjective reality mindset influence Questions to Reflect On - How do beliefs filter reality? - Can we see objectively? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex cognition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Seeing is believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing-is-believing/) ## Related quotes > [Believing is seeing. It's much more effective than the old notion that seeing is believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-e-deal/believing-is-seeing-it-s-much-more-effective-than-the-old-notion-that/) [Terrence E. Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-e-deal/) > [The world says, Seeing is believing! Faith says, Believing is seeing!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-says-seeing-is-believing-faith-says-believing-is-seeing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They have told you, “Seeing is believing.” Seeing is not believing – everyone sees what they want to see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadguru/they-have-told-you-seeing-is-believing-seeing-is-not-believing/) Sadguru > [“For some people, seeing is believing. For others, believing is seeing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-a-white/for-some-people-seeing-is-believing-for-others-believing-is-seeing/) [Jeffrey A. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-a-white/) > [You must understand that seeing is believing, but also know that believing is seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/you-must-understand-that-seeing-is-believing-but-also-know-that/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“You can see. Seeing is believing. Seeing is the gift that keeps giving. It’s much more engaging than being seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-keaton/you-can-see-seeing-is-believing-seeing-is-the-gift-that-keeps-giving/) [Diane Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-keaton/) > [There are those who say that seeing is believing. I am telling you that believing is seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/there-are-those-who-say-that-seeing-is-believing-i-am-telling-you/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [We say seeing is believing, but actually, we are much better at believing than at seeing. In fact, we are seeing what we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/we-say-seeing-is-believing-but-actually-we-are-much-better-at/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Believing is seeing and seeing is believing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/believing-is-seeing-and-seeing-is-believing/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [For Conservatives, seeing is believing. For liberals, believing is seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/for-conservatives-seeing-is-believing-for-liberals-believing-is-seeing/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“BELIEVING IS SEEING what you want! Seeing, might be believing, what you don't want! Your inside eyes are your special sight, to create your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-disano-davenport/believing-is-seeing-what-you-want-seeing-might-be-believing-what-you/) [Chris DiSano Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-disano-davenport/) > [I know that for most people, seeing is believing when it comes to government efficiency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/i-know-that-for-most-people-seeing-is-believing-when-it-comes-to/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [My technique is don’t believe anything. If you believe in something, you are automatically precluded from believing its opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/my-technique-is-don-t-believe-anything-if-you-believe-in-something/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Seeing is not believing - it is only seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/seeing-is-not-believing-it-is-only-seeing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [How do we know what we know? Is seeing believing? Is believing seeing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-caponigro/how-do-we-know-what-we-know-is-seeing-believing-is-believing-seeing/) [John Paul Caponigro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-caponigro/) ## More by Errol Morris > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [There is such a thing as truth, but we have a vested interest in not seeing it, in avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-such-a-thing-as-truth-but-we-have-a-vested-interest-in-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Simply coming to the perpetrator and delivering the message is Nozick's definition of revenge. And in that sense, Adi is exacting revenge. When people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/simply-coming-to-the-perpetrator-and-delivering-the-message-is-nozick/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-proper-route-to-an-understanding-of-the-world-is-an-examination/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The chance that any given sentence is a lie, rather than a truth, I think, is fairly great. An intentional lie, a self-deception, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-chance-that-any-given-sentence-is-a-lie-rather-than-a-truth-i/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [ Maybe \[killers\] is one of my real passions. Why deny it? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-killers-is-one-of-my-real-passions-why-deny-it/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I envy certain writers, because there are writers who do go into a kind of different zone, where the writing isn't controlled anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-envy-certain-writers-because-there-are-writers-who-do-go-into-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Right now, we live in bad times in this country, and the fact that there are filmmakers addressing political and social issues is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/right-now-we-live-in-bad-times-in-this-country-and-the-fact-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The fact that the world is utterly insane makes it tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-fact-that-the-world-is-utterly-insane-makes-it-tolerable/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Appearing on the front page of the New York Times even given the state of papers today is still something that's seen by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/appearing-on-the-front-page-of-the-new-york-times-even-given-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can't tell by looking at a film-clip whether it is a drama or a documentary without knowing how it was produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-t-tell-by-looking-at-a-film-clip-whether-it-is-a-drama-or-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Tell me what's wrong with this idea: If you're selling to somebody, find someone like that person to sell to them. If you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/tell-me-what-s-wrong-with-this-idea-if-you-re-selling-to-somebody/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) [Explore all 163 Errol Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## 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": "They say seeing is believing, but the opposite is true. 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