---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speaking as someone who bought the party…"
description: "\"Speaking as someone who bought the party line for far too long, you would be amazed what you can believe if you keep convincing yourself the press, the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg"
---

#  Speaking as someone who bought the party line for far too…

![“Speaking as someone who bought the party line for far too long, you would be amazed what you can believe if you keep convincing yourself the press, the libs, the universities - hell, everyone but a few on the religious fringe and big business - are out to get you. I was lucky - I started to snap…” quote by John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg)

> “Speaking as someone who bought the party line for far too long, you would be amazed what you can believe if you keep convincing yourself the press, the libs, the universities - hell, everyone but a few on the religious fringe and big business - are out to get you. I was lucky - I started to snap out of this a couple of years ago and hopefully will now apply to both major parties the same skepticism and cynicism I had in the past reserved for Democrats.”

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker warns against believing conspiratorial narratives and advocates applying consistent skepticism to all political groups.

**In simple terms:** Beware of bias; stay skeptical of all sides.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions, seek evidence.

Themes

politics critical thinking bias skepticism media literacy

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

analytical critical

When to use this quote

- political discussions
- media consumption
- social media
- personal relationships
- news analysis

Key Concepts

cognitive bias confirmation bias propaganda groupthink

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate genuine critique from partisan propaganda?
- What sources help you verify political claims?

A Different Perspective

Skepticism can become cynicism if not balanced with constructive engagement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Big business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-business/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Convincing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convincing-yourself/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Fringe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fringe/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/)

## Related quotes

> [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [ \[B\]ipartisanship means tarring and feathering politicans from both major parties. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/b-ipartisanship-means-tarring-and-feathering-politicans-from-both/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [The system has evolved to protect parties from people like Donald Trump. It really is true that people without well-established public records, without proven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/the-system-has-evolved-to-protect-parties-from-people-like-donald/)

[David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/)

> [In America, one of our two major parties is dominated by extremists dedicated to destroying the social contract, and the other party has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/in-america-one-of-our-two-major-parties-is-dominated-by-extremists/)

[Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/)

> [Our two major parties are actually called the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stockwell-day/our-two-major-parties-are-actually-called-the-liberal-party-and-the/)

[Stockwell Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stockwell-day/)

> [The pretense in disputed elections is that the great conflict is between the two major parties. The reality is that there is a much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-pretense-in-disputed-elections-is-that-the-great-conflict-is/)

[Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/)

> [Every single figure on Mount Rushmore was a third party at one time or another, so third parties become major parties, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/every-single-figure-on-mount-rushmore-was-a-third-party-at-one-time/)

[Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/)

> [I hope that people will see that we don't have to sit by the sidelines and watch as the two major parties limit their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/i-hope-that-people-will-see-that-we-don-t-have-to-sit-by-the/)

[Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/)

> [“These two norms undergirded American democracy for most of the twentieth century. Leaders of the two major parties accepted one another as legitimate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/these-two-norms-undergirded-american-democracy-for-most-of-the/)

[Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/)

> [The United States survives so long as at least one of its major parties is politically and intellectually healthy. I don't think the Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-united-states-survives-so-long-as-at-least-one-of-its-major-2/)

[Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/)

> [ She \[Hillary Clinton\] says I know that this is the first time that one of our two major parties has ever nominated a woman,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-keith/she-hillary-clinton-says-i-know-that-this-is-the-first-time-that-one/)

[Tamara Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-keith/)

> [the two major parties too often present us with a choice of the evil of two lessers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-ireland/the-two-major-parties-too-often-present-us-with-a-choice-of-the-evil/)

[Patricia Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-ireland/)

> [Politics is a matter of day-to-day improvisation, and it often seems as though the major parties are guided only by the desire to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/politics-is-a-matter-of-day-to-day-improvisation-and-it-often-seems/)

[Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/)

> [Ezra Klein gets under my skin. He seems to spout the party line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-kaus/ezra-klein-gets-under-my-skin-he-seems-to-spout-the-party-line/)

[Mickey Kaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-kaus/)

> [“. . . every jungle creature for fifty or sixty yards started raising holy hell on the what-the-fuck-was-that party line.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/every-jungle-creature-for-fifty-or-sixty-yards-started-raising-holy/)

[Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/)

## More by John Cole

> [For an omnipotent and omniscient being, God has made some really lousy earthly staffing decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/for-an-omnipotent-and-omniscient-being-god-has-made-some-really-lousy/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [It never gets old, being told you are a traitor and in league with the terrorists because you disagree with current administration policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/it-never-gets-old-being-told-you-are-a-traitor-and-in-league-with-the/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [The best leaks always take place in the urinal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/the-best-leaks-always-take-place-in-the-urinal/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [Ann Coulter is, at this point, a known quantity (especially after the raghead remarks last year), and she delivered what they knew she would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/ann-coulter-is-at-this-point-a-known-quantity-especially-after-the/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [The most depressing thing about blogging is watching so-called 'citizen journalists' turn in to little more than easily offended partisan hacks. Any remark that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/the-most-depressing-thing-about-blogging-is-watching-so-called/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [As far as I am concerned, collectively, the right wing of the blogosphere is the 'boy who called traitor.' Not a week goes by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-collectively-the-right-wing-of-the/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [We need to invade Michigan and rebuild the state from the ground up. We will be greeted as liberators, we have clear supply lines,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/we-need-to-invade-michigan-and-rebuild-the-state-from-the-ground-up/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [I really don't understand how bipartisanship is ever going to work when one of the parties is insane. Imagine trying to negotiate an agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/i-really-don-t-understand-how-bipartisanship-is-ever-going-to-work/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

> [We are going to lose the war on terror because all of our agents are tied up investigating the GOP.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/we-are-going-to-lose-the-war-on-terror-because-all-of-our-agents-are/)

[John Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

[Explore all 10 John Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/)

## More Amazed quotes

> [You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-will-never-cease-to-be-the-most-amazed-person-on-earth-at-what/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [You'd be amazed at pain and tears a single smile hides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-vasquez/you-d-be-amazed-at-pain-and-tears-a-single-smile-hides/)

[Christian Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-vasquez/)

> [“I am amazed at how being with him changes everything for me, socially speaking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/i-am-amazed-at-how-being-with-him-changes-everything-for-me-socially/)

[Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/)

> [I'm endlessly amazed by what people are capable of, and incapable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/i-m-endlessly-amazed-by-what-people-are-capable-of-and-incapable-of/)

[Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/)

> [Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/souls-love-that-s-what-souls-do-egos-don-t-but-souls-do-become-a-soul/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [Contrary to a common myth, while there are general guidelines, there is no exact 'right' way to run ... I am amazed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grete-waitz/contrary-to-a-common-myth-while-there-are-general-guidelines-there-is/)

[Grete Waitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grete-waitz/)

> [I'm always amazed by writers who tell me they plan everything at the beginning. I feel their writing days must be very bland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tremain/i-m-always-amazed-by-writers-who-tell-me-they-plan-everything-at-the/)

[Rose Tremain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tremain/)

> [What I am telling you is that you do not need to know to love, and it is right that you feel it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/what-i-am-telling-you-is-that-you-do-not-need-to-know-to-love-and-it/)

[Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/)

> [My father was truly a great man. I remember one day putting my feet in my father's shoes. I was amazed at the size.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/my-father-was-truly-a-great-man-i-remember-one-day-putting-my-feet-in/)

[Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/)

> [J. Budziszewski is perhaps the clearest and most eloquent natural lawyer writing today. When reading his works I often find myself amazed by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/j-budziszewski-is-perhaps-the-clearest-and-most-eloquent-natural/)

[Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/)

> [I've never ceased to be amazed at the survival skills of poor children. I've learned how much children can actually do for themselves if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-pearson/i-ve-never-ceased-to-be-amazed-at-the-survival-skills-of-poor/)

Landon Pearson

> [Mystical experiences (unlike scientific conclusions) cannot be communicated from one person to another. Philosophers and little children are continually amazed that we, unaccountably, find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/mystical-experiences-unlike-scientific-conclusions-cannot-be/)

[Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/)

> [As soon as I arrived I made an attempt to find my host but the two or three people of whom I asked his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/as-soon-as-i-arrived-i-made-an-attempt-to-find-my-host-but-the-two-or/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [I don't know why, but I'm continually amazed to think that two and a half billion of us around the world are connected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kovacs/i-don-t-know-why-but-i-m-continually-amazed-to-think-that-two-and-a/)

[Gary Kovacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kovacs/)

> [The key to contentment is to consider. Consider who you are and be satisfied with that. Consider what you have and be satisfied with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/the-key-to-contentment-is-to-consider-consider-who-you-are-and-be/)

[Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/)

Browse all 776 Amazed quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Speaking as someone who bought the party line for far too long, you would be amazed what you can believe if you keep convincing yourself the press, the libs, the universities - hell, everyone but a few on the religious fringe and big business - are out to get you. I was lucky - I started to snap out of this a couple of years ago and hopefully will now apply to both major parties the same skepticism and cynicism I had in the past reserved for Democrats.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Cole"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party-line-for-far-too-long-you/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Amazed"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party-line-for-far-too-long-you/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/john-cole-42238_amazed_speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party_2799659.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Speaking as someone who bought the party line for far too long, you would be amazed what you can believe if…” — John Cole",
                "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": "John Cole",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cole/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Speaking as someone who bought the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party-line-for-far-too-long-you/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cole/speaking-as-someone-who-bought-the-party-line-for-far-too-long-you/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
