--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's never pleasant to have one's…" description: "\"It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.\" — Kingsley Amis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/kingsley-amis-5258_belief_it-s-never-pleasant-to-have-one-s-unques_244181.png" --- # It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs… ![“It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.” quote by Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/kingsley-amis-5258_belief_it-s-never-pleasant-to-have-one-s-unques_244181.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/kingsley-amis-5258_belief_it-s-never-pleasant-to-have-one-s-unques_244181.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/kingsley-amis-5258_belief_it-s-never-pleasant-to-have-one-s-unques_244181.png) > “It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.” [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning deep‑seated beliefs in historical context can be uncomfortable but enlightening. **In simple terms:** Questioning beliefs in context can be uncomfortable but enlightening. Key Takeaway Embrace critical reflection. Themes philosophy history beliefs Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical introspective When to use this quote - academic study - personal growth Key Concepts critical thinking historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile personal belief with history? - What benefits arise from challenging assumptions? A Different Perspective The quote may be overly confrontational. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical context](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-context/) [Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Had it not been for the race problem early thrust upon me and enveloping me, I should have probably been an unquestioning worshipper at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/had-it-not-been-for-the-race-problem-early-thrust-upon-me-and/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Absolute, unquestioning faith in God is the greatest method of instantaneous healing. An unceasing effort to arouse that faith is man's highest and most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/absolute-unquestioning-faith-in-god-is-the-greatest-method-of/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [I became frustrated with myself for not being as sturdy and unquestioning as I knew a man in my position should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/i-became-frustrated-with-myself-for-not-being-as-sturdy-and/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“Unquestioning obedience is hailed as a great virtue only by those leaders whose commands are highly questionable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hammond/unquestioning-obedience-is-hailed-as-a-great-virtue-only-by-those/) [George Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hammond/) > [It belongs to every large nature, when it is not under the immediate power of some strong unquestioning emotion, to suspect itself, and doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/it-belongs-to-every-large-nature-when-it-is-not-under-the-immediate/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [A society that devours its own young deserves no automatic or unquestioning allegiance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-barker/a-society-that-devours-its-own-young-deserves-no-automatic-or/) [Pat Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-barker/) > [“I wish I were a boy again-unquestioning, with no need to analyze the moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-matheson/i-wish-i-were-a-boy-again-unquestioning-with-no-need-to-analyze-the/) [Richard Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-matheson/) > [“It was the stupidity of virility that impressed me--& how, having made those convenient railway lines of convention, the lusts speed along them unquestioning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-was-the-stupidity-of-virility-that-impressed-me-how-having-made/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Anyway I read more contemporary poetry than contemporary fiction so my mind goes first to a kind of crass "conceptualism" that repeats vanguard gestures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/anyway-i-read-more-contemporary-poetry-than-contemporary-fiction-so/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [“We cut a pack of cards called historical context- our generation, Sixsmith, cut tens, jacks and queens. Adrian's cut threes, fours, and fives. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/we-cut-a-pack-of-cards-called-historical-context-our-generation/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Often the Jesus-focused churches are leaning towards a 'social gospel' interpretation of the kingdom, and the 'Paul' churches are talking about being saved from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/often-the-jesus-focused-churches-are-leaning-towards-a-social-gospel/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [“The material world constrain us, often with gret beneficence, to see each person and thing in its time and place, its historical context. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-scarry/the-material-world-constrain-us-often-with-gret-beneficence-to-see/) [Elaine Scarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-scarry/) > [I enjoyed studying costume, learning about the corsetry and the historical context of fashion. I never had any real intention of being a costume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-chapman/i-enjoyed-studying-costume-learning-about-the-corsetry-and-the/) [Georgina Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-chapman/) > [As much as I care about historical context - I'm very eager to read a really great historical account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/as-much-as-i-care-about-historical-context-i-m-very-eager-to-read-a/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [Many novelists take well-defined, precise characters, whose stories are sometimes of mediocre interest, and place them in an important historical context, which remains secondary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-queneau/many-novelists-take-well-defined-precise-characters-whose-stories-are/) [Raymond Queneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-queneau/) ## More by Kingsley Amis > [To refer even in passing to unpublished or struggling authors and their problems is to put oneself at some risk, so I will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/to-refer-even-in-passing-to-unpublished-or-struggling-authors-and/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“There was no excuse which didn't consist of inexcusable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/there-was-no-excuse-which-didn-t-consist-of-inexcusable/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [The rewards for being sane may not be very many, but knowing what's funny is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/the-rewards-for-being-sane-may-not-be-very-many-but-knowing-what-s/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [The human race has not devised any way of dissolving barriers, getting to know the other chap fast, breaking the ice, that is one-tenth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/the-human-race-has-not-devised-any-way-of-dissolving-barriers-getting/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“{Rogers} sexual aim is “to convert a creature who is cool, dry, calm, articulate, independent, purposeful into a creature who is the opposite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/rogers-sexual-aim-is-to-convert-a-creature-who-is-cool-dry-calm/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [If there's one word that sums up everything that's gone wrong since the war, it's Workshop. After Youth, that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/if-there-s-one-word-that-sums-up-everything-that-s-gone-wrong-since/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Jake was close to tears. In that moment he saw the world in its true light, as a place where nothing had ever been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/jake-was-close-to-tears-in-that-moment-he-saw-the-world-in-its-true/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [It scored right away with me by being the smooth, fine-grained sort, not the coarse flaky, dry-on-the-outside rubbish full of chunds of gut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/it-scored-right-away-with-me-by-being-the-smooth-fine-grained-sort/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“Jake did a quick run-through of women in his mind, not of the ones he had known or dealt with in the past few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/jake-did-a-quick-run-through-of-women-in-his-mind-not-of-the-ones-he/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“I don't allow people of your sort to stand in my way. That's what you're leaving out of account. I'm having Christine because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/i-don-t-allow-people-of-your-sort-to-stand-in-my-way-that-s-what-you/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [If you are using an adverb, you have got the verb wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got-the-verb-wrong/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [Outside every fat man there is an even fatter man trying to close in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/outside-every-fat-man-there-is-an-even-fatter-man-trying-to-close-in/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“When the bishop farted we were amused to hear about it. Should the ploughboy find treasure we must be told. But when the ploughboy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/when-the-bishop-farted-we-were-amused-to-hear-about-it-should-the/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [I've been trying to write for as long as I can remember. But those first fifteen years didn't produce much of great interest. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/i-ve-been-trying-to-write-for-as-long-as-i-can-remember-but-those/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) [Explore all 102 Kingsley Amis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) ## 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. 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