Absurd Quote by Kathryn Schulz
““A whole lot of us go through life assuming that we are basically right, basically all the time, about basically everything: about our political and intellectual convictions, our religious and moral beliefs, our assessment of other people, our memories, our grasp of facts. As absurd as it sounds when we stop to think about it, our steady state seems to be one of unconsciously assuming that we are very close to omniscient.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Unconscious Assumption of Being Right” by Kathryn Schulz, 2015
People tend to overestimate their knowledge and moral certainty, believing they are nearly omniscient across politics, religion, and personal judgments.
In simple terms: We think we’re almost always right.
Key Takeaway
Question your assumptions regularly.
Themes
cognition
humility
bias
confidence
Mood
reflective
critical
introspective
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- political debates
- religious discussions
- personal relationships
- memory recall
Key Concepts
DunningKrruger
overconfidence bias
self‑deception
Questions to Reflect On
- How often do you challenge your own beliefs?
- What evidence would change your view?
A Different Perspective
Assumptions can be deeply entrenched, making self‑correction difficult.
