--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unfortunately, there is a tendency among…" description: "\"Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites to distrust the opinions of ordinary people. They are perceived to base their views on dark i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/geert-wilders-1869_choices_unfortunately-there-is-a-tendency-among_1818289.png" --- # Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites… ![“Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites to distrust the opinions of ordinary people. They are perceived to base their views on dark instincts and unjustified fears, rather than on rational choices. European voters, however, are highly educated, and it is ridiculous to suppose…” quote by Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/geert-wilders-1869_choices_unfortunately-there-is-a-tendency-among_1818289.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/geert-wilders-1869_choices_unfortunately-there-is-a-tendency-among_1818289.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/geert-wilders-1869_choices_unfortunately-there-is-a-tendency-among_1818289.png) > “Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites to distrust the opinions of ordinary people. They are perceived to base their views on dark instincts and unjustified fears, rather than on rational choices. European voters, however, are highly educated, and it is ridiculous to suppose they can be easily fooled or manipulated.” [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political elites often dismiss ordinary citizens' opinions as irrational, assuming they are driven by fear rather than reason. **In simple terms:** Elites distrust common people's views, seeing them as fear‑driven. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about public rationality. Themes politics elitism public opinion Mood skeptical critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - campaign strategy - public debates - policy making - media analysis Key Concepts democracy cognitive bias media influence Questions to Reflect On - How do elites justify distrust? - What evidence counters this bias? A Different Perspective Elites may underestimate genuine expertise among voters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [America's corporate and political elites now form a regime of their own and they're privatizing democracy. All the benefits - the tax cuts, policies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/america-s-corporate-and-political-elites-now-form-a-regime-of-their/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Political elites vote in a more partisan fashion than the mass public; this tendency, too, follows a curve. 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For me, it's the truth that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-don-t-need-headlines-for-me-it-s-the-truth-that-matters/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I cannot tell you who will be accompanying me and why, because that would only make myself more vulnerable. So I will not talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-cannot-tell-you-who-will-be-accompanying-me-and-why-because-that/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [Mr. Trump is Mr. Trump. I'm Mr. Wilders. I'm not anybody's copy or whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/mr-trump-is-mr-trump-i-m-mr-wilders-i-m-not-anybody-s-copy-or/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [A key difference between Christianity and Islam is that Muslims believe that the Koran contains verbatim the word of God; it is written in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/a-key-difference-between-christianity-and-islam-is-that-muslims/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) [Explore all 202 Geert Wilders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. 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I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites to distrust the opinions of ordinary people. 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