--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a…" description: "\"Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a vacuum like paranoid speculation.\" — Max Brooks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png" --- # Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a vacuum like… ![“Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a vacuum like paranoid speculation.” quote by Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png) > “Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a vacuum like paranoid speculation.” [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Secrecy creates a void that is filled by paranoid speculation. **In simple terms:** Secrets breed paranoia. Key Takeaway Promote transparency. Themes secrecy paranoia information Mood cautious analytical Type social political When to use this quote - government policy - media reporting - organizational leadership - public health Key Concepts trust communication risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance openness and security? - What information should stay private? A Different Perspective Too much openness can cause panic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Like Paranoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-paranoid-1728720/) [Paranoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoid/) [Paranoid Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoid-speculation-2548271/) [Secrecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrecy/) [Secrecy Vacuum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrecy-vacuum-2548270/) [Speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speculation/) [Vacuums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacuums/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s like . . . 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There is a spirit of Polish poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wislawa-szymborska/poetic-talent-doesn-t-operate-in-a-vacuum-there-is-a-spirit-of-polish/) [Wislawa Szymborska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wislawa-szymborska/) > [There is a God-shaped vacuum in every heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-is-a-god-shaped-vacuum-in-every-heart/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner. 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None of this happens in a vacuum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-titley/climate-change-isn-t-just-an-environmental-issue-it-s-a-technology/) [David Titley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-titley/) > [ You can't put toilet paper in the toilet \[in the space ship\], so there's a separate vacuum can in front of you on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/you-can-t-put-toilet-paper-in-the-toilet-in-the-space-ship-so-there-s/) [Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/) > [I am Woman, here me roar...of is that my vacuum cleaner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carpenter/i-am-woman-here-me-roar-of-is-that-my-vacuum-cleaner/) [Liz Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carpenter/) > [Space is not empty. It is full, a plenum as opposed to a vacuum, and is the ground for the existence of everything, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/space-is-not-empty-it-is-full-a-plenum-as-opposed-to-a-vacuum-and-is/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [Of course, you're not making records in a vacuum. I'm not making them for myself. It would be nice if I could get more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-benatar/of-course-you-re-not-making-records-in-a-vacuum-i-m-not-making-them/) [Pat Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-benatar/) > [Life is a cutup. And to pretend that you write or paint in a timeless vacuum is just simply . . . not .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/life-is-a-cutup-and-to-pretend-that-you-write-or-paint-in-a-timeless/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [You will see a 3-D movie in a movie theater for the shared experience of it - or for a date, and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/you-will-see-a-3-d-movie-in-a-movie-theater-for-the-shared-experience/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [A vacuum can only exist, I imagine, by the things which enclose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-fitzgerald/a-vacuum-can-only-exist-i-imagine-by-the-things-which-enclose-it/) [Zelda Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-fitzgerald/) ## More by Max Brooks > [When I believe in my ability to do something, there is no such word as no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/when-i-believe-in-my-ability-to-do-something-there-is-no-such-word-as/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [Fear is the most valuable commodity in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/fear-is-the-most-valuable-commodity-in-the-universe/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [I think the general anxiety of the 1960s - '70s spawned our interest in the living dead. 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We've suffered some blows that other countries would have never recovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/i-think-americans-are-at-our-best-when-we-recover-from-a-crisis-we-ve/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [“The living dead had taken more from us than land and loved ones. They'd robbed us of our confidence as the planet's dominant life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/the-living-dead-had-taken-more-from-us-than-land-and-loved-ones-they/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [“PARNELL AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, TENNESSEE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/parnell-air-national-guard-base-tennessee/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [Often, a school is your best bet-perhaps not for education but certainly for protection from an undead attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/often-a-school-is-your-best-bet-perhaps-not-for-education-but/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [Any survival guide will tell you, don't buy a pair of combat boots before any disaster. They'll tear your feet up. Or water -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/any-survival-guide-will-tell-you-don-t-buy-a-pair-of-combat-boots/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [When I read Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns', I think it's a wonderful record of the Reagan era. I think it's amazing. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/when-i-read-frank-miller-s-the-dark-knight-returns-i-think-it-s-a/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [The dead walk among us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/the-dead-walk-among-us/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [“What we did, what every president since Washington has done, was provide a measured, appropriate response, in direct relation to a realistic threat assessment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/what-we-did-what-every-president-since-washington-has-done-was/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) [Explore all 142 Max Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) ## More Paranoid quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I'm paranoid. On my stationary bike, I have a rear view mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lewis/i-m-paranoid-on-my-stationary-bike-i-have-a-rear-view-mirror/) [Richard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lewis/) > [To understand paranoid people better, follow them around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/to-understand-paranoid-people-better-follow-them-around/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone’s not following you, does it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-granger/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-someone-s-not-following-you/) [Shauna Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-granger/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Let me tell you something ass-eyes, let me tell you ALL something: war has made me very PARANOID! and when you get to eye-balling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-wayans/let-me-tell-you-something-ass-eyes-let-me-tell-you-all-something-war/) [Damon Wayans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-wayans/) > [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Paranoid means you are aware of 10% of the problem”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oran-kangas/paranoid-means-you-are-aware-of-10-of-the-problem/) [Oran Kangas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oran-kangas/) > [We were talking briefly about cocaine... yeah. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/we-were-talking-briefly-about-cocaine-yeah-anything-that-makes-you/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I'm constantly paranoid that I'll be unemployed for the rest of my life... and have to go back folding shirts at the Gap, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/i-m-constantly-paranoid-that-i-ll-be-unemployed-for-the-rest-of-my/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [Weirdly, there have been a lot of critics of conservatism, but very few critics of innovation. As a culture, we are deeply paranoid about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/weirdly-there-have-been-a-lot-of-critics-of-conservatism-but-very-few/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [I'm always thinking as an outsider, and I'm always mindful of whether a company can be impactful on a global basis. Frankly, I'm paranoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-rimer/i-m-always-thinking-as-an-outsider-and-i-m-always-mindful-of-whether/) [Danny Rimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-rimer/) > [I'm an athlete and I'm black, and a lot of black athletes go broke. I do not want to become a statistic, so maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-m-an-athlete-and-i-m-black-and-a-lot-of-black-athletes-go-broke-i/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you. - Joseph Heller”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-crouch/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-they-aren-t-after-you/) [Blake Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-crouch/) > [I'm not paranoid, but I am cautious. I don't drink tea with strangers, I don't fly Aeroflot and I avoid certain countries with close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/i-m-not-paranoid-but-i-am-cautious-i-don-t-drink-tea-with-strangers-i/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) [Browse all 455 Paranoid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a vacuum like paranoid speculation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Max Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a-vacuum-like-paranoid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Paranoid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a-vacuum-like-paranoid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/854/max-brooks-2735_paranoid_secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a_2676830.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing fills a vacuum like paranoid speculation.” — Max Brooks", "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": "Max Brooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Secrecy is a vacuum and nothing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a-vacuum-like-paranoid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/secrecy-is-a-vacuum-and-nothing-fills-a-vacuum-like-paranoid/#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 } } ] } ```