--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's frightening that skepticism has to…" description: "\"It's frightening that skepticism has to be a movement, because you're just arguing that reality is reality. What a waste of energy, in a way\" — Graham ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/graham-linehan-14594_arguing_it-s-frightening-that-skepticism-has-to_2860951.png" --- # It's frightening that skepticism has to be a movement… ![“It's frightening that skepticism has to be a movement, because you're just arguing that reality is reality. What a waste of energy, in a way” quote by Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/graham-linehan-14594_arguing_it-s-frightening-that-skepticism-has-to_2860951.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/graham-linehan-14594_arguing_it-s-frightening-that-skepticism-has-to_2860951.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/graham-linehan-14594_arguing_it-s-frightening-that-skepticism-has-to_2860951.png) > “It's frightening that skepticism has to be a movement, because you're just arguing that reality is reality. What a waste of energy, in a way” [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) ## 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 critiques the tendency to turn basic questioning into organized opposition, seeing it as counterproductive. **In simple terms:** Questioning reality becomes a pointless fight. Key Takeaway Avoid turning skepticism into conflict. Themes skepticism conflict energy waste Mood frustrated critical Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - political debates - online forums - academic discourse - personal relationships Key Concepts critical thinking social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is all skepticism harmful? - When does questioning become counterproductive? A Different Perspective It may ignore legitimate concerns and stifle constructive dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) ## Related quotes > [“It's so egotistical to believe that we know more about someone else's reality than they do, and such a waste of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreve-stockton/it-s-so-egotistical-to-believe-that-we-know-more-about-someone-else-s/) Shreve Stockton > [Everything is as it is at any moment. There's no way of arguing, because you are arguing with reality - the isness of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/everything-is-as-it-is-at-any-moment-there-s-no-way-of-arguing/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Insanity is arguing with reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/insanity-is-arguing-with-reality/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Arguing with reality it like trying to teach a cat to bark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/arguing-with-reality-it-like-trying-to-teach-a-cat-to-bark/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [“The cold logic of mid-twentieth-century atheism has now given way to an era of renewed 'spirituality,' but it is an awakening more thrapeutic than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-mark-bertrand/the-cold-logic-of-mid-twentieth-century-atheism-has-now-given-way-to/) [J. Mark Bertrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-mark-bertrand/) > [Mainstream economic theories popular in the last several decades have tended to downplay the government's role in markets and to increase skepticism about even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/mainstream-economic-theories-popular-in-the-last-several-decades-have/) [Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/) > [I have a deep-seated skepticism about the morality of violence. Violence is almost always morally corrosive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-have-a-deep-seated-skepticism-about-the-morality-of-violence/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“Nevertheless, a distinction must be made between skepticism as a philosophical thesis and skepticism as an attitude in life. As a philosophical thesis, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juli-n-mar-as/nevertheless-a-distinction-must-be-made-between-skepticism-as-a/) Julián Marías > [There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/there-is-one-thing-a-professor-can-be-absolutely-certain-of-almost/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [“David Hume, in a moment of acute skepticism, felt panicky in the solitude of his study and had to go out and join his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/david-hume-in-a-moment-of-acute-skepticism-felt-panicky-in-the/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“Scepticism is as much the result of knowledge, as knowledge is of scepticism. To be content with what we at present know, is, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/scepticism-is-as-much-the-result-of-knowledge-as-knowledge-is-of/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Scepticismcan never be thoroughly applied, else life would come to a standstill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/scepticismcan-never-be-thoroughly-applied-else-life-would-come-to-a/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [...the number of saintly men has not yet risen to the level where the census makes them a separate statistical category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stigler/the-number-of-saintly-men-has-not-yet-risen-to-the-level-where-the/) [George Stigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stigler/) ## More by Graham Linehan > [I think all technology should be plug and play. I would say it's easier to set up a blog than it is to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-think-all-technology-should-be-plug-and-play-i-would-say-it-s/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I'm not really good at character or plot development. I'm just interested in big comedic moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-not-really-good-at-character-or-plot-development-i-m-just/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [People are very confused about how to do things on a computer, but generally, if you hover your cursor over things, it will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/people-are-very-confused-about-how-to-do-things-on-a-computer-but/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [The nepotism there is the stuff of legend... It just seems to be a place where people get paid to sit in a building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/the-nepotism-there-is-the-stuff-of-legend-it-just-seems-to-be-a-place/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I think films would get a lot better if people paid leaving the cinema. There's a whole business plan of opening terrible films in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-think-films-would-get-a-lot-better-if-people-paid-leaving-the/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [Of course, I'm not saying that news interviews can't be adversarial. Sometimes, you have to be nasty Columbo or we'd never get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/of-course-i-m-not-saying-that-news-interviews-can-t-be-adversarial/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [If you're a good writer, you don't have everybody shouting in every scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/if-you-re-a-good-writer-you-don-t-have-everybody-shouting-in-every/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I feel that shows like 'Ted' and 'The IT Crowd' are very much more enjoyable watching with friends around a telly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-feel-that-shows-like-ted-and-the-it-crowd-are-very-much-more/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [Part of the job involves thinking about things and eliminating them. You spend a lot of time coming up with ideas that are terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/part-of-the-job-involves-thinking-about-things-and-eliminating-them/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [Conflict is entertaining and it's the stuff of drama - or comedy - but too much conflict, or conflict that's at too high a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/conflict-is-entertaining-and-it-s-the-stuff-of-drama-or-comedy-but/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I'm not very good in the mornings and often stay up late writing, so I get up at about 10am if I'm not on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-not-very-good-in-the-mornings-and-often-stay-up-late-writing-so-i/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I get contacted daily by people in America saying is there any legal way to download 'The IT Crowd', but the whole mechanism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-get-contacted-daily-by-people-in-america-saying-is-there-any-legal/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [There is no 'magic water' that you can rub on a script to make the jokes funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/there-is-no-magic-water-that-you-can-rub-on-a-script-to-make-the/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [We're no good at holidays, the wife and I. We just don't have the knack. We had one good one, early on, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/we-re-no-good-at-holidays-the-wife-and-i-we-just-don-t-have-the-knack/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I'm pretty sure that Murdoch loathes the Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/i-m-pretty-sure-that-murdoch-loathes-the-internet/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) [Explore all 46 Graham Linehan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's frightening that skepticism has to be a movement, because you're just arguing that reality is reality. 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