--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to encourage people to think for…" description: "\"I try to encourage people to think for themselves, to question standard assumptions... Don't take assumptions for granted. Begin by taking a skeptical ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/noam-chomsky-42_ask-questions_i-try-to-encourage-people-to-think-for-t_2724418.jpg" --- # I try to encourage people to think for themselves, to… ![“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…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/noam-chomsky-42_ask-questions_i-try-to-encourage-people-to-think-for-t_2724418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/noam-chomsky-42_ask-questions_i-try-to-encourage-people-to-think-for-t_2724418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/noam-chomsky-42_ask-questions_i-try-to-encourage-people-to-think-for-t_2724418.jpg) > “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.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Assumptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumptions/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Conventional wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional-wisdom/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubters/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Questioning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questioning/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Take nothing for granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-nothing-for-granted/) [Taken for granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken-for-granted/) [Taking things for granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-things-for-granted/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing is going to be handed to you -- you have to make things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-griffith-joyner/nothing-is-going-to-be-handed-to-you-you-have-to-make-things-happen/) [Florence Griffith Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-griffith-joyner/) > [Most of our notions about the world come from a set of assumptions which we take for granted, and which, for the most part,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-erhard/most-of-our-notions-about-the-world-come-from-a-set-of-assumptions/) [Werner Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-erhard/) > [“When it comes to our embedded beliefs, our relative intolerance to ambiguous and contrary information leads us in many instances to ignore or less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-goedken/when-it-comes-to-our-embedded-beliefs-our-relative-intolerance-to/) [Brian Goedken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-goedken/) > [ And so \[my brother\] Gilbert and I, brought up without a formal religion, remained throughout our lifetimes just what Father was, freethinkers. 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