--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was the sort of idea that might easily…" description: "\"“It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes—make them lose their faith in happiness as the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg" --- # It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the… ![“It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes—make them lose their faith in happiness as the Sovereign Good and take to believing, instead, that the goal was somewhere beyond, somewhere outside the present human sphere, that the purpose of…” quote by Huxley, Aldous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg) > ““It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes—make them lose their faith in happiness as the Sovereign Good and take to believing, instead, that the goal was somewhere beyond, somewhere outside the present human sphere, that the purpose of life was not the maintenance of well-being, but some intensification and refining of consciousness, some enlargement of knowledge.”” [Huxley, Aldous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huxley-aldous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The elite may abandon the pursuit of happiness, seeking higher consciousness and knowledge beyond material well‑being. **In simple terms:** Elites chase deeper meaning over happiness. Key Takeaway Explore beyond material comfort. Themes philosophy elitism spiritual quest Mood reflective critical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - academic study - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism consciousness knowledge pursuit Questions to Reflect On - What drives your search for meaning? - Is happiness less valuable than enlightenment? A Different Perspective Such ideas can alienate those focused on everyday needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Purpose of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-of-life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“It was a masterly piece of work. But once you began admitting explanations in terms of purpose— well, you didn't know what the result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/it-was-a-masterly-piece-of-work-but-once-you-began-admitting/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“But once you began admitting explanations in terms of purpose—well, you didn’t know what the result might be. It was the sort of idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/but-once-you-began-admitting-explanations-in-terms-of-purpose-well/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“It was a masterly piece of work. But once you began admitting explanations in terms of purpose—well, you didn’t know what the result might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/it-was-a-masterly-piece-of-work-but-once-you-began-admitting-2/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“-make them lose their faith in happiness as the Sovereign Good and take to believing instead, that the goal was somewhere beyond, somewhere outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/make-them-lose-their-faith-in-happiness-as-the-sovereign-good-and/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“...maybe we don't need a heavenly bribe or the fear of hell and damnation to make us behave decently. 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If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. 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They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes—make them lose their faith in happiness as the Sovereign Good and take to believing, instead, that the goal was somewhere beyond, somewhere outside the present human sphere, that the purpose of life was not the maintenance of well-being, but some intensification and refining of consciousness, some enlargement of knowledge.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Huxley, Aldous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huxley-aldous/it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easily-decondition-the-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Knowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huxley-aldous/it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easily-decondition-the-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/huxley-aldous-48137_knowledge_it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easil_1224387.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was the sort of idea that might easily decondition the more unsettled minds among the higher castes—make…” — Huxley, Aldous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Huxley, Aldous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huxley-aldous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was the sort of idea...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huxley-aldous/it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easily-decondition-the-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huxley-aldous/it-was-the-sort-of-idea-that-might-easily-decondition-the-more/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```