--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To suggest things may be going on in our…" description: "\"To suggest things may be going on in our brains that we aren't fully conscious of, that we unknowingly make classist, sexist and racist presumptions......" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ff/michaela-coel-7701_defence_to-suggest-things-may-be-going-on-in-our_1400466.jpg" --- # To suggest things may be going on in our brains that we… ![“To suggest things may be going on in our brains that we aren't fully conscious of, that we unknowingly make classist, sexist and racist presumptions... Well, there just aren't many comfortable ways to take that. And in the face of discomfort comes the mask of defence.” quote by Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ff/michaela-coel-7701_defence_to-suggest-things-may-be-going-on-in-our_1400466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ff/michaela-coel-7701_defence_to-suggest-things-may-be-going-on-in-our_1400466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ff/michaela-coel-7701_defence_to-suggest-things-may-be-going-on-in-our_1400466.jpg) > “To suggest things may be going on in our brains that we aren't fully conscious of, that we unknowingly make classist, sexist and racist presumptions... Well, there just aren't many comfortable ways to take that. And in the face of discomfort comes the mask of defence.” [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unconscious biases shape our thoughts, leading to classist, sexist, and racist assumptions; confronting them is uncomfortable and triggers defensive reactions. **In simple terms:** Biases are hidden and defensive. Key Takeaway Examine hidden prejudices. Themes bias consciousness defense social justice Mood introspective challenging Type educational critical When to use this quote - workplace hiring - media representation - personal relationships - policy making Key Concepts psychology critical theory identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice your own biases? - What steps reduce defensive responses? A Different Perspective Acknowledging bias can be seen as an attack, causing resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Discomfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discomfort/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/) ## Related quotes > [When someone else's safety and acceptance in society is on the line, your personal discomfort comes in a very distant second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-milan/when-someone-else-s-safety-and-acceptance-in-society-is-on-the-line/) [Courtney Milan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-milan/) > [All discomfort comes from suppressing your true identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/all-discomfort-comes-from-suppressing-your-true-identity/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Our difficulty is not that we don't know God's will. Our discomfort comes from the fact that we do know His will, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/our-difficulty-is-not-that-we-don-t-know-god-s-will-our-discomfort/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [Out of discomfort comes greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gallop/out-of-discomfort-comes-greatness/) [Cindy Gallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gallop/) > [Brains aren't designed to get results; they go in directions. If you know how the brain works you can set your own directions. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bandler/brains-aren-t-designed-to-get-results-they-go-in-directions-if-you/) [Richard Bandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bandler/) > [People think that if you're sexy you have no brains, and if you have brains you aren't in touch with your sexual side. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-durance/people-think-that-if-you-re-sexy-you-have-no-brains-and-if-you-have/) [Erica Durance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-durance/) > [Brains aren't everything, but they're important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/brains-aren-t-everything-but-they-re-important/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [Brains aren't designed to get results. They go in DIRECTIONS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bandler/brains-aren-t-designed-to-get-results-they-go-in-directions/) [Richard Bandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bandler/) > [Brains aren't everything. In fact in your case they're nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-lynes/brains-aren-t-everything-in-fact-in-your-case-they-re-nothing/) [Russell Lynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-lynes/) > [My brains aren't in my bra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella/my-brains-aren-t-in-my-bra/) [Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella/) > [Brains aren't EVERYTHING. In fact,in your case, their NOTHING :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/brains-aren-t-everything-in-fact-in-your-case-their-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it's a waste of time to worry about the motives of why people are supportive of things. I think we should look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-weiner/i-think-it-s-a-waste-of-time-to-worry-about-the-motives-of-why-people/) [Lawrence Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-weiner/) > [I'm not any more sexist, racist or violent than the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bushwick-bill/i-m-not-any-more-sexist-racist-or-violent-than-the-world-around-me/) [Bushwick Bill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bushwick-bill/) > [People feel removed from sexism. 'I'm not a sexist, but I'm not a feminist.' They think there's this fuzzy middle ground. There's no fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/people-feel-removed-from-sexism-i-m-not-a-sexist-but-i-m-not-a/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) ## More by Michaela Coel > [I think you just have to do you, whatever that is, and not feel like you have to be a certain way for other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-think-you-just-have-to-do-you-whatever-that-is-and-not-feel-like/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [There always seems to be an element of faith in my writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/there-always-seems-to-be-an-element-of-faith-in-my-writing/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [My sets are not peaceful. It's a beautiful catastrophe. I am running around like a headless chicken. I don't sleep because I am writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/my-sets-are-not-peaceful-it-s-a-beautiful-catastrophe-i-am-running/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [Inequality starts in the womb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/inequality-starts-in-the-womb/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [I didn't know I was going to write for TV until I was suddenly writing for TV, so that kind of stuff can bewilder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-didn-t-know-i-was-going-to-write-for-tv-until-i-was-suddenly/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [Looking back, the way I see it, there was something slightly deluded about my belief - what that meant to me - but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/looking-back-the-way-i-see-it-there-was-something-slightly-deluded/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [Don't sit there and complain. Rub your hands together and figure out what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/don-t-sit-there-and-complain-rub-your-hands-together-and-figure-out/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [I don't write with this thing in the back of my head about carrying the weight of young black women on my shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-don-t-write-with-this-thing-in-the-back-of-my-head-about-carrying/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [I over-write!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-over-write/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > ['Chewing Gum Dreams' should make you look twice at the girl shouting on the bus and not just cuss her off from your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/chewing-gum-dreams-should-make-you-look-twice-at-the-girl-shouting-on/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [I don't really go with the crowd. I'm the kind of person that if I heard some girls were bullying my friend in another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/i-don-t-really-go-with-the-crowd-i-m-the-kind-of-person-that-if-i/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [To see people laughing or crying or listening, then being inspired to do their own thing? I can't think of anything better than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/to-see-people-laughing-or-crying-or-listening-then-being-inspired-to/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [Now I'm steeped in this world, I keep thinking going to the theatre every week is normal, but there's a whole world of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/now-i-m-steeped-in-this-world-i-keep-thinking-going-to-the-theatre/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [What dominates my life isn't the fact that I started off doing theatre. It's probably to do with Christianity, my race, the class I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/what-dominates-my-life-isn-t-the-fact-that-i-started-off-doing/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) > [There's a massive community in church. You have a real home. You can move to different parts of the world and you'll always find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-coel/there-s-a-massive-community-in-church-you-have-a-real-home-you-can/) [Michaela Coel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) [Explore all 88 Michaela Coel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-coel/) ## More Defence quotes > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Everyone says there's a lot of strength, a lot of big guys in defence, the Premier League is very fast and there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-werner/everyone-says-there-s-a-lot-of-strength-a-lot-of-big-guys-in-defence/) [Timo Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-werner/) > [“No thanky-you; you can't overcome hatred with more hatred. Force can kill the liar but not the lie, the hater but not the hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-sheldon/no-thanky-you-you-can-t-overcome-hatred-with-more-hatred-force-can/) [Joss Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-sheldon/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [In each studio there is a human being dressed in the full regalia of his myth fearing to expore a vulnerable opening, spreading not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-each-studio-there-is-a-human-being-dressed-in-the-full-regalia-of/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“It’s so easy to lose faith and become lost in all of the politics of the world. That’s why we need the arts. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/it-s-so-easy-to-lose-faith-and-become-lost-in-all-of-the-politics-of/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [The investment in our mining industry has been very positive for Australia but we need to be doing more if we want, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rinehart/the-investment-in-our-mining-industry-has-been-very-positive-for/) [Gina Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rinehart/) > [A ten per cent reduction in military expenditures per year would be reasonable, coupled with a programme of retraining the workforce and redirecting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/a-ten-per-cent-reduction-in-military-expenditures-per-year-would-be/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [I think a goalkeeper has to participate at the back of the defence and come off the line to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thibaut-courtois/i-think-a-goalkeeper-has-to-participate-at-the-back-of-the-defence/) [Thibaut Courtois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thibaut-courtois/) > [Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/those-who-deny-the-right-of-a-jury-to-protect-an-individual-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [...a tale of too many cooks in the defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-brown/a-tale-of-too-many-cooks-in-the-defence/) [Ian Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-brown/) > [Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/scotland-forms-a-crucial-part-of-our-armed-forces-which-should-not-be/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/he-that-rebels-against-reason-is-a-real-rebel-but-he-that-in-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Yes, we were amazed when that happened. It was a real joke to us. Konrad Lueg and I did a Happening, and we used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/yes-we-were-amazed-when-that-happened-it-was-a-real-joke-to-us-konrad/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [One of the goals of philosophy is wage theoretical battle. That is why we can say that every thesis is always, by its very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-althusser/one-of-the-goals-of-philosophy-is-wage-theoretical-battle-that-is-why/) [Louis Althusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-althusser/) [Browse all 582 Defence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To suggest things may be going on in our brains that we aren't fully conscious of, that we unknowingly make classist, sexist and racist presumptions... Well, there just aren't many comfortable ways to take that. 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