Ask questions Quote by Noam Chomsky
“I try to encourage people to think for themselves, to question standard assumptions... Don't take assumptions for granted. Begin by taking a skeptical attitude toward anything that is conventional wisdom. Make it justify itself. It usually can't. Be willing to ask questions about what is taken for granted. Try to think things through for yourself.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 2015
Encourages questioning accepted beliefs and demanding justification for conventional wisdom.
In simple terms: Think for yourself, doubt assumptions.
Key Takeaway
Adopt a skeptical mindset.
Themes
critical thinking
independence
skepticism
education
Mood
inquisitive
analytical
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- classroom
- political debate
- media consumption
- personal decisions
Key Concepts
questioning
justification
conventional wisdom
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions shape your life?
- How do you test a belief?
A Different Perspective
Skepticism can lead to paralysis.
![“And so [my brother] Gilbert and I, brought up without a formal religion, remained throughout our lifetimes just what Father was, freethinkers. And, likewise, doubters and dissenters and perhaps Utopians. Father's rule had been 'Question everything, take nothing for granted,' and I never outlived…” quote by George Seldes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6bb/george-seldes-50433_association_and-so-my-brother-gilbert-and-i-brought_2435326.jpg)
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
