--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Beliefs, like mules and centaurs, are…" description: "\"“Beliefs, like mules and centaurs, are fundamentally hybrid creatures: we experience them half in public society, half in the private heart. In the bes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/kathryn-schulz-7782_beliefs_beliefs-like-mules-and-centaurs-are-fund_2846838.png" --- # Beliefs, like mules and centaurs, are fundamentally hybrid… ![“Beliefs, like mules and centaurs, are fundamentally hybrid creatures: we experience them half in public society, half in the private heart. In the best outcome, these two domains keep each other in check. The people around us prevent us from believing things that are (as Penn Jillette put it)…” quote by Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/kathryn-schulz-7782_beliefs_beliefs-like-mules-and-centaurs-are-fund_2846838.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/kathryn-schulz-7782_beliefs_beliefs-like-mules-and-centaurs-are-fund_2846838.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/kathryn-schulz-7782_beliefs_beliefs-like-mules-and-centaurs-are-fund_2846838.png) > ““Beliefs, like mules and centaurs, are fundamentally hybrid creatures: we experience them half in public society, half in the private heart. In the best outcome, these two domains keep each other in check. The people around us prevent us from believing things that are (as Penn Jillette put it) "fucking nuts", while our own inner voice keeps rising up and breaking the surface tension that could otherwise turn a community into a bubble.”” [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beliefs are hybrid, shaped by public influence and private feeling; both must balance to avoid extremes. **In simple terms:** Public and private beliefs must check each other. Key Takeaway Seek balance between societal input and inner voice. Themes beliefs balance community Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political discourse - personal growth - groupthink - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern external influence? - What practices keep inner beliefs authentic? A Different Perspective Public pressure can suppress authentic beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beliefs/) [Beliefs Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beliefs-like-368668/) [Believing Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-things-365397/) [Centaurs Fundamentally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centaurs-fundamentally-3765326/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Inner voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-voice/) [Mules Centaurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mules-centaurs-3765325/) ## Related quotes > [Our beliefs are like the unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, what we can and can not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/our-beliefs-are-like-the-unquestioned-commands-telling-us-how-things/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [If you raise your standards but don't really believe you can meet them, you've already sabotaged yourself. You won't even try; you'll be lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/if-you-raise-your-standards-but-don-t-really-believe-you-can-meet/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Consider how textbooks treat Native religions as a unitary whole. ... "These Native Americans ... believed that nature was filled with spirits. Each form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/consider-how-textbooks-treat-native-religions-as-a-unitary-whole/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [I have a list of universal beliefs, and they are amazing beliefs, like, "No one cares" or "You don't care about me"; "I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/i-have-a-list-of-universal-beliefs-and-they-are-amazing-beliefs-like/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Ancient, woman-centered words and beliefs never, like, fall off the planet. Having long done taken on a life of their own, they - like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inga-muscio/ancient-woman-centered-words-and-beliefs-never-like-fall-off-the/) [Inga Muscio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inga-muscio/) > [Bound together by our beliefs, we are like minded individuals, sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/bound-together-by-our-beliefs-we-are-like-minded-individuals-sharing/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“I know, I know," Moore said. "Mad beliefs like that, eh? Must be some metaphor, right? Must mean something else?" Shook his head. "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/i-know-i-know-moore-said-mad-beliefs-like-that-eh-must-be-some/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Human beliefs, like all other natural growths, elude the barrier of systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-unamuno/human-beliefs-like-all-other-natural-growths-elude-the-barrier-of/) [Miguel de Unamuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-unamuno/) > [We believe in the joy and power of music, and we also see that to make this kind of statement today, you need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-koner/we-believe-in-the-joy-and-power-of-music-and-we-also-see-that-to-make/) [Thomas Koner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-koner/) > [Beliefs should be like the rest of life, and real life isn't rules but learning and adaption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-schaeffer/beliefs-should-be-like-the-rest-of-life-and-real-life-isn-t-rules-but/) [Frank Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-schaeffer/) > [For the most part we inherit our opinions. We are the heirs of habits and mental customs. Our beliefs, like the fashion of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/for-the-most-part-we-inherit-our-opinions-we-are-the-heirs-of-habits/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [If you don't have solid beliefs, you cannot build a stable life. Beliefs are like the foundation of a building, and they are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-have-solid-beliefs-you-cannot-build-a-stable-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your thoughts are like the seeds you plant in your garden. Your beliefs are like the soil in which you plant these seeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/your-thoughts-are-like-the-seeds-you-plant-in-your-garden-your/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [“For the life of me, I don’t understand these bumper stickers. I would think, the more you believe in something, the less you’d want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-slovin/for-the-life-of-me-i-don-t-understand-these-bumper-stickers-i-would/) [Abby Slovin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-slovin/) > [Being a Christian is more like having your soul possessed by a spirit than having your mind clothed with new beliefs... It is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/being-a-christian-is-more-like-having-your-soul-possessed-by-a-spirit/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## More by Kathryn Schulz > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [Error ... is less an intellectual problem than an existential one - a crisis not in what we know, but in who we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/error-is-less-an-intellectual-problem-than-an-existential-one-a/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“Even a committed realist will concede that there are many situations where an absolute standard of truth is unavailable. And yet, confronted with such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/even-a-committed-realist-will-concede-that-there-are-many-situations/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [We need to learn to love the flawed, imperfect things that we create, and to forgive ourselves for creating them. Regret doesen't remind us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/we-need-to-learn-to-love-the-flawed-imperfect-things-that-we-create/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“I had, during many years, followed a golden rule, namely that whenever a published fact, a new observation or thought came across me, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/i-had-during-many-years-followed-a-golden-rule-namely-that-whenever-a/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“It is often precisely these irresolvable issues that arouse our most impassioned certainty that we are right and our adversaries are wrong. To my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/it-is-often-precisely-these-irresolvable-issues-that-arouse-our-most/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“The vast majority of our beliefs are really beliefs once removed. Our faith that we are right is faith that someone else is right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/the-vast-majority-of-our-beliefs-are-really-beliefs-once-removed-our/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [We're terrified of not having the answers, and we would sometimes rather assert an incorrect answer than make our peace with the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/we-re-terrified-of-not-having-the-answers-and-we-would-sometimes/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“When one admists that nothing is certain", proposed the philosopher Betrand Russell, "one must, I think, also add that some things are much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/when-one-admists-that-nothing-is-certain-proposed-the-philosopher/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“It’s as if we regard other people as psychological crystals, with everything important refracted to the visible surface, while regarding ourselves as psychological icebergs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/it-s-as-if-we-regard-other-people-as-psychological-crystals-with/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [To err is to wander, and wandering is the way we discover the world; and, lost in thought, it is also the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/to-err-is-to-wander-and-wandering-is-the-way-we-discover-the-world/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“As all this suggests our relationship with evidence is seldom purely a cognitive one. Vilifying menstruating women bolstering anti-Muslim stereotypes murdering innocent citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/as-all-this-suggests-our-relationship-with-evidence-is-seldom-purely/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“We are more alarmed by leaders who waver than by those who screw up. (p.174)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/we-are-more-alarmed-by-leaders-who-waver-than-by-those-who-screw-up-p/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“Plato (...) defined knowledge as "justified true belief". To his mind, you could only claim to know something if A) it was true; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/plato-defined-knowledge-as-justified-true-belief-to-his-mind-you/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [Thirty-three percent of all of our regrets pertain to decisions we made about education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/thirty-three-percent-of-all-of-our-regrets-pertain-to-decisions-we/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) [Explore all 87 Kathryn Schulz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) ## More Beliefs quotes > [People always wonder when the world is going to end. I believe that the world will end when everyone stops loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nichole-fickes/people-always-wonder-when-the-world-is-going-to-end-i-believe-that/) [Nichole Fickes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nichole-fickes/) > [“Your life is your statement to the world representing your values, your beliefs, your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-arenson/your-life-is-your-statement-to-the-world-representing-your-values/) [David Arenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-arenson/) > [Our beliefs are like the unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, what we can and can not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/our-beliefs-are-like-the-unquestioned-commands-telling-us-how-things/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Update your belief! If necessary, throw it to the bin! Don’t exaggerate your belief! Remember that your belief is not that much important; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/update-your-belief-if-necessary-throw-it-to-the-bin-don-t-exaggerate/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I do believe in love at first sight. I believe in a lot of thing. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-i-believe-in-a-lot-of-thing-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [I believe in my Mormon faith, and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers - I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-believe-in-my-mormon-faith-and-i-endeavor-to-live-by-it-my-faith-is/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“What is held real is based upon personal beliefs that drive perception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/what-is-held-real-is-based-upon-personal-beliefs-that-drive-perception/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [I want everybody to worship the God of love instead of worshipping the God of hate and torture. But in the meantime, we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mosab-hassan-yousef/i-want-everybody-to-worship-the-god-of-love-instead-of-worshipping/) [Mosab Hassan Yousef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mosab-hassan-yousef/) > [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) > [“My belief is the belief of no beliefs. That's my belief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-scott-mcleod/my-belief-is-the-belief-of-no-beliefs-that-s-my-belief/) [T. Scott McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-scott-mcleod/) > [Beliefs and values that have held sway for thousands of years will be questioned as never before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/beliefs-and-values-that-have-held-sway-for-thousands-of-years-will-be/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) > [There is no power shortage in heaven, and God is never in a recession. But His grace is sufficient to meet every need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/there-is-no-power-shortage-in-heaven-and-god-is-never-in-a-recession/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“Your beliefs, and your beliefs alone, belong to you. You are the only one who is with you for your entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz-jr/your-beliefs-and-your-beliefs-alone-belong-to-you-you-are-the-only/) [Miguel Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz-jr/) [Browse all 1,331 Beliefs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beliefs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Beliefs, like mules and centaurs, are fundamentally hybrid creatures: we experience them half in public society, half in the private heart. In the best outcome, these two domains keep each other in check. 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