--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rules were about averages, not specifics…" description: "\"“Rules were about averages, not specifics, and since people were conditioned since childhood to accept rules, it was easy to follow them blindly. To tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/nicholas-sparks-93_children_rules-were-about-averages-not-specifics_2846428.jpg" --- # Rules were about averages, not specifics, and since people… ![“Rules were about averages, not specifics, and since people were conditioned since childhood to accept rules, it was easy to follow them blindly. To trust in the system. It was easier not to worry about random possibilities. It meant that people didn’t have to think about potential consequences…” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/nicholas-sparks-93_children_rules-were-about-averages-not-specifics_2846428.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/nicholas-sparks-93_children_rules-were-about-averages-not-specifics_2846428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/nicholas-sparks-93_children_rules-were-about-averages-not-specifics_2846428.jpg) > ““Rules were about averages, not specifics, and since people were conditioned since childhood to accept rules, it was easy to follow them blindly. To trust in the system. It was easier not to worry about random possibilities. It meant that people didn’t have to think about potential consequences, and when the sun was shining on Friday afternoons, they could play Frisbee without a care in the world.”” [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rules simplify life but can dull critical thinking; blind conformity avoids responsibility and limits freedom. **In simple terms:** Blind rule‑following limits thought Key Takeaway Question norms to retain agency Themes conformity critical thinking freedom Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - fiction - self‑help - education Key Concepts social conditioning psychology personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - When have you challenged a rule? - What benefits arise from critical thinking? A Different Perspective Blind obedience can be harmful; change requires awareness ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept-rules-3588070/) [Blindly Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blindly-trust-579255/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Friday afternoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friday-afternoon/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Rules Averages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-averages-3761076/) [Rules Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-easy-3761075/) [Trust Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-easier-3455628/) ## Related quotes > [Trust gives you the permission to give people direction, get everyone aligned, and give them the energy to go get the job done. Trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-conant/trust-gives-you-the-permission-to-give-people-direction-get-everyone/) [Douglas Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-conant/) > [Rules that may be easy for Wall Street are a death sentence for startups. They are easy to break accidentally and the penalty for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naval-ravikant/rules-that-may-be-easy-for-wall-street-are-a-death-sentence-for/) [Naval Ravikant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naval-ravikant/) > [“I will accept any rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-will-accept-any-rules-that-you-feel-necessary-to-your-freedom-i-am/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The churches must realize that when they take a position on a political event that they must accept the rules of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-churches-must-realize-that-when-they-take-a-position-on-a/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“THE HARDEST STEP WE ALL MUST TAKE IS TO BLINDLY TRUST IN WHO WE ARE. - ATTICUS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/the-hardest-step-we-all-must-take-is-to-blindly-trust-in-who-we-are/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [Don't TRUST any one blindly, Once You TRUST any one heart fully You can do any thing Blindly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prakash-reddy/don-t-trust-any-one-blindly-once-you-trust-any-one-heart-fully-you/) [Prakash Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prakash-reddy/) > [To blindly trust government is to automatically vest it with excessive power. To distrust government is simply to trust humanity - to trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/to-blindly-trust-government-is-to-automatically-vest-it-with/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [Know someone. Be friends. Talk 24/7. Blindly trust him. Tell him what you told nobody. Watch him getting bored and walking away. Repeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-someone-be-friends-talk-24-7-blindly-trust-him-tell-him-what-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As an actor, you blindly put your trust in experts - and if they tell you something's safe, you don't fully vet it yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-o-brien/as-an-actor-you-blindly-put-your-trust-in-experts-and-if-they-tell/) [Dylan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-o-brien/) > [“Look what he asked from me, Hermione! Risk your life, Harry! And again! And again! And don’t expect me to explain everything, just trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/look-what-he-asked-from-me-hermione-risk-your-life-harry-and-again/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [If I trust someone, I also blindly trust that person. Otherwise you cannot touch me, your opinion does not matter to me at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-ziyech/if-i-trust-someone-i-also-blindly-trust-that-person-otherwise-you/) [Hakim Ziyech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-ziyech/) > [When someone really loves you and blindly trust you. Don't lie to them. Because you know the truth may hurt them but lies could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/when-someone-really-loves-you-and-blindly-trust-you-don-t-lie-to-them/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I blindly trust Sangram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payal-rohatgi/i-blindly-trust-sangram/) [Payal Rohatgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/payal-rohatgi/) > [“The hardest step we all must take is blindly trust in who we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/the-hardest-step-we-all-must-take-is-blindly-trust-in-who-we-are/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [I believe that it doesn't matter where you work or what you have access to because anything can help. If you're working in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/i-believe-that-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-work-or-what-you-have/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) ## More by Nicholas Sparks > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I'm sure you think that I don't understand what you're going through, but I do. It's just that sometimes, our future is dictated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-m-sure-you-think-that-i-don-t-understand-what-you-re-going-through/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“And in your smile, I will live forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-in-your-smile-i-will-live-forever/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [When we first met, I didn't want to get involved with anyone. I didn't have the time or energy, and I wasn't sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/when-we-first-met-i-didn-t-want-to-get-involved-with-anyone-i-didn-t/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“There is something terrible in the moments after waking up, when the subconscious knows that something terrible has happened but before all the memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-something-terrible-in-the-moments-after-waking-up-when-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There is nothing like love. You should try it.” Thibault shrugged. “Maybe one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-nothing-like-love-you-should-try-it-thibault-shrugged-maybe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“more time she’d spent with him, the more convinced she became that he was by far the sexiest guy she’d ever met. Who else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/more-time-she-d-spent-with-him-the-more-convinced-she-became-that-he/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Dear John, tell me everything. Write it all down, that way, we’ll be with each other all the time, even if we’re not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/dear-john-tell-me-everything-write-it-all-down-that-way-we-ll-be-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [You were spying on us?" "It was kind of hard not to. You were right there by the workshop with Will. it looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-were-spying-on-us-it-was-kind-of-hard-not-to-you-were-right-there/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-are-lots-of-real-men-out-there-men-who-could-fall-in-love-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I don't know. I really don't. While I was in the living room, I kept asking myself what I really wanted in life." She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-don-t-know-i-really-don-t-while-i-was-in-the-living-room-i-kept/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) [Explore all 1,309 Nicholas Sparks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. 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