--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is pretty clear that they are…" description: "\"It is pretty clear that they are ineffective in stopping the course of thought at present, but they have not always been so in the past and we cannot b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png" --- # It is pretty clear that they are ineffective in stopping… ![“It is pretty clear that they are ineffective in stopping the course of thought at present, but they have not always been so in the past and we cannot be sure that they will not be so in the future.” quote by John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png) > “It is pretty clear that they are ineffective in stopping the course of thought at present, but they have not always been so in the past and we cannot be sure that they will not be so in the future.” [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Current methods to halt thoughts are limited, though historically they sometimes worked; future effectiveness is uncertain. **In simple terms:** Thought‑stopping tools are unreliable now and may change. Key Takeaway Accept limits and explore alternative mental strategies. Themes cognition limitations future uncertainty Mood cautious reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative work - stress management - decision making Key Concepts psychology neuroscience history of science Questions to Reflect On - How might future technologies improve mental control? - What alternatives can you use now? A Different Perspective May underestimate other emerging techniques that could be effective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Clear Ineffective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-ineffective-5272939/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [In the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/in-the-past/) [Ineffective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ineffective/) [Ineffective Stopping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ineffective-stopping-5272938/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present/) [Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty/) [Stopping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopping/) [Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sure/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-present-2052973/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [We cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/we-cannot/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [I thought I'd live to a ripe old age, because I always felt there was a lot to do. I had a driven feeling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-harry/i-thought-i-d-live-to-a-ripe-old-age-because-i-always-felt-there-was/) [Debbie Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-harry/) > [In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present - I am rising to the work of a human being. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/in-the-morning-when-thou-risest-unwillingly-let-this-thought-be/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [He who would confine his thought to present time will not understand present reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-michelet/he-who-would-confine-his-thought-to-present-time-will-not-understand/) [Jules Michelet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-michelet/) > [I am utterly devoted to the present moment. Don't move into the past because that is memory; there is no relevant existence to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/i-am-utterly-devoted-to-the-present-moment-don-t-move-into-the-past/) [OSHO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [“Why is my love for you, dyed in wool? What is the hindrance to moving on? Why in love have I been made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zubair-ahsan/why-is-my-love-for-you-dyed-in-wool-what-is-the-hindrance-to-moving/) [Zubair Ahsan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zubair-ahsan/) > [“In the morning, when you rise unwillingly, let this thought be present: I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/in-the-morning-when-you-rise-unwillingly-let-this-thought-be-present/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Severe punishment unquestionably has an immediate effect in reducing a tendency to act in a given way. This result is no doubt responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/severe-punishment-unquestionably-has-an-immediate-effect-in-reducing/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“Our analyses of the FDA data showed relatively little difference between the effects of antidepressants and the effects of placebos. Indeed, the effects were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/our-analyses-of-the-fda-data-showed-relatively-little-difference/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Career politicians have become increasingly more ineffective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/career-politicians-have-become-increasingly-more-ineffective/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [Anything pursued and attained as a supposed compensation for the lack of self-love is ineffective and can get downright ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-d-jennings/anything-pursued-and-attained-as-a-supposed-compensation-for-the-lack/) [Jesse D. Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-d-jennings/) > [The message of Jesus has proved ineffective because the environment was unready to receive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-message-of-jesus-has-proved-ineffective-because-the-environment/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It might be bold to put your work into the world unadorned, but it's probably ineffective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-might-be-bold-to-put-your-work-into-the-world-unadorned-but-it-s/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [It is futile to assume that an initially ineffective advertisement still needs to wear in; wear-in either happens quickly or it does not happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-j-tellis/it-is-futile-to-assume-that-an-initially-ineffective-advertisement/) [Gerard J Tellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-j-tellis/) > [The US wished things to turn out as they did, and worked to bring this about. The department of state desired that the UN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/the-us-wished-things-to-turn-out-as-they-did-and-worked-to-bring-this/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) ## More by John Desmond Bernal > [Naturalism aimed at giving the primitive wishes full play but failed because these wishes are too primitive, too infantile, too inconsistent with themselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/naturalism-aimed-at-giving-the-primitive-wishes-full-play-but-failed/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [A part of sexuality may go to research, and a much larger part must lead to aesthetic creation. 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After a rapid advance communications become disorganized, and there is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/the-problem-of-specialization-is-essentially-that-of-communications/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [Life is a partial, continuous, progressive, multiform and conditionally interactive self-realization of the potentialities of atomic electron states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/life-is-a-partial-continuous-progressive-multiform-and-conditionally/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [The region of the mysterious is rapidly shrinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/the-region-of-the-mysterious-is-rapidly-shrinking/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [Published papers may omit important steps and the memory of men of science, even the greatest, is sadly fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/published-papers-may-omit-important-steps-and-the-memory-of-men-of/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [ \[In eighteenth-century Britain\] engineers for the most began as simple workmen, skilful and ambitious but usually illiterate and self-taught. They were either millwrights like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/in-eighteenth-century-britain-engineers-for-the-most-began-as-simple/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [Religious suffering is at once the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/religious-suffering-is-at-once-the-expression-of-real-suffering-and-a/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [Men will not be content to manufacture life: they will want to improve on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/men-will-not-be-content-to-manufacture-life-they-will-want-to-improve/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [The present aristocracy of western culture, at the moment when it most clearly dominates the world, is being imitated rapidly and successfully in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/the-present-aristocracy-of-western-culture-at-the-moment-when-it-most/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) > [As experimentation becomes more complex, the need for the co-operation in it of technical elements from outside becomes greater and the modern laboratory tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/as-experimentation-becomes-more-complex-the-need-for-the-co-operation/) [John Desmond Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) [Explore all 45 John Desmond Bernal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is pretty clear that they are ineffective in stopping the course of thought at present, but they have not always been so in the past and we cannot be sure that they will not be so in the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Desmond Bernal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffective-in-stopping-the-course/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffective-in-stopping-the-course/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f84/john-desmond-bernal-14871_always_it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffec_1460049.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is pretty clear that they are ineffective in stopping the course of thought at present, but they have not…” — John Desmond Bernal", "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 Desmond Bernal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-desmond-bernal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is pretty clear that they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffective-in-stopping-the-course/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-desmond-bernal/it-is-pretty-clear-that-they-are-ineffective-in-stopping-the-course/#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 } } ] } ```