--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a fact-based belief system…" description: "\"There is a fact-based belief system available to you if you want to believe in facts. But this is the weirdest time. I mean, after Nixon I thought noth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/john-flansburgh-14315_belief_there-is-a-fact-based-belief-system-avai_965151.jpg" --- # There is a fact-based belief system available to you if… ![“There is a fact-based belief system available to you if you want to believe in facts. But this is the weirdest time. I mean, after Nixon I thought nothing could be weirder. Then there was Reagan, and after Reagan I thought nothing could be weirder. Then there was Bush and Bush's son, and it all…” quote by John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/john-flansburgh-14315_belief_there-is-a-fact-based-belief-system-avai_965151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/john-flansburgh-14315_belief_there-is-a-fact-based-belief-system-avai_965151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0b/john-flansburgh-14315_belief_there-is-a-fact-based-belief-system-avai_965151.jpg) > “There is a fact-based belief system available to you if you want to believe in facts. But this is the weirdest time. I mean, after Nixon I thought nothing could be weirder. Then there was Reagan, and after Reagan I thought nothing could be weirder. Then there was Bush and Bush's son, and it all just seemed like nothing could be a badder joke than George W. Bush. And now we're here. It seems to just yo-yo around, but hopefully we'll get to another level.” [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) ## 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 notes a pattern of increasingly bizarre political leaders, suggesting a cyclical decline in governance that feels absurd yet hopeful for future improvement. **In simple terms:** Political absurdity seems to repeat, but hope remains for change. Key Takeaway Recognize patterns, stay informed, seek better leadership. Themes politics history disillusionment hope cyclical trends Mood cynical hopeful reflective Type commentary political analysis When to use this quote - voting - civic engagement - media literacy - community dialogue Key Concepts cognitive bias media influence public trust Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine crisis from sensationalism? - What actions can you take to influence political change? A Different Perspective The view may overlook positive reforms and overgeneralize negativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Another Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-level/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Belief System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-system/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Facts Weirdest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts-weirdest-1814786/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [George w](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-w/) [Hopefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopefully/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Nixon Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon-thought-1722219/) [Reagan Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reagan-thought-947577/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Weirder Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weirder-bush-1814785/) [Weirder Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weirder-reagan-1814784/) ## Related quotes > [Richard Dreyfuss, when we were doing 'American Graffiti,' was pumping me to vote for McGovern. 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She could rant at her husband…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-brown/luke-s-momma-had-an-impressive-temper-all-the-murrays-had-tempers-but/) [Sue Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-brown/) > [Once you climb to another level, you have to figure out how to sustain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/once-you-climb-to-another-level-you-have-to-figure-out-how-to-sustain/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I think trance music is the only music you can listen to without taking drugs. You can really feel the emotions in it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-think-trance-music-is-the-only-music-you-can-listen-to-without/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [I guess I judge my films by how pleased I am with the work I do, so it's kind of on another level. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/i-guess-i-judge-my-films-by-how-pleased-i-am-with-the-work-i-do-so-it/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [It's so Canada. On some level, you laugh, but on another level, it's just depressing. We pride ourselves: We're not like the bad old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-backhouse/it-s-so-canada-on-some-level-you-laugh-but-on-another-level-it-s-just/) [Constance Backhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-backhouse/) > [I look upon The Animals, they were a great band initially, we left our mark, but thing was it was a band that couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/i-look-upon-the-animals-they-were-a-great-band-initially-we-left-our/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) > [I kind of pride myself on coming onto things that are well-oiled machines and finding a way to bring what I bring and fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-kind-of-pride-myself-on-coming-onto-things-that-are-well-oiled/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) ## More by John Flansburgh > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [It's hard to tell a shallow person that they should care more about the feelings of the awkward and the alienated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/it-s-hard-to-tell-a-shallow-person-that-they-should-care-more-about/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Every declarative statement that comes out of an interview with somebody is actually in response to a question. It's like this very real interpersonal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/every-declarative-statement-that-comes-out-of-an-interview-with/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [There have been times I wanted to cry on interview, but it hasn't been because that's what they're trying to conjure. No. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/there-have-been-times-i-wanted-to-cry-on-interview-but-it-hasn-t-been/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I feel like musicians have such a precarious place in the political discourse, because musicians are, sort of just by nature, people-pleasers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-musicians-have-such-a-precarious-place-in-the-political/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I think the biggest wrestling match-up I have is how to respond to the word "quirky." Or the alternate, "nerdy." Both are essentially benign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-think-the-biggest-wrestling-match-up-i-have-is-how-to-respond-to/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The simplest app on your smartphone requires 40 peoples' purest imagination. The challenges with people on environment, we just have to open some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/the-simplest-app-on-your-smartphone-requires-40-peoples-purest/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Sometimes you have to wonder if there isn't an ejector seat built into having a popular-music career. We were lucky when we started. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/sometimes-you-have-to-wonder-if-there-isn-t-an-ejector-seat-built/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Sometimes people will ask a real "Why are you beating your wife?" question where there's some assumption built into it, and all you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/sometimes-people-will-ask-a-real-why-are-you-beating-your-wife/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Bill O'Reilly knew he could just filibuster and enjoy all the airtime that a full interview would give him, and then also grab the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/bill-o-reilly-knew-he-could-just-filibuster-and-enjoy-all-the-airtime/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [I don't think bands should feel compelled to speak out unless they actually have something to say. I think that's a big mistake, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-don-t-think-bands-should-feel-compelled-to-speak-out-unless-they/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [Look, up in the sky! It's the sky!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/look-up-in-the-sky-it-s-the-sky/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [A lot of times I'll post things on Facebook, and the immediate response will be like, "Stick to the music!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-post-things-on-facebook-and-the-immediate/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [ In an interview John \[Linnell\] said, 'At a certain point you just get tired of the way the other person breathes,' and I took… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/in-an-interview-john-linnell-said-at-a-certain-point-you-just-get/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [If you're looking at the array of performers, there's just a lot of people that it's about getting closer to them. That's not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/if-you-re-looking-at-the-array-of-performers-there-s-just-a-lot-of/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) [Explore all 47 John Flansburgh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a fact-based belief system available to you if you want to believe in facts. But this is the weirdest time. I mean, after Nixon I thought nothing could be weirder. Then there was Reagan, and after Reagan I thought nothing could be weirder. 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