--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suppose that we believe what we are…" description: "\"Suppose that we believe what we are taught. . . . destroying the environment and militarizing outer space are rational policies . . . of institutional ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg" --- # Suppose that we believe what we are taught… ![“Suppose that we believe what we are taught. . . . destroying the environment and militarizing outer space are rational policies . . . of institutional lunacy.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg) > “Suppose that we believe what we are taught. . . . destroying the environment and militarizing outer space are rational policies . . . of institutional lunacy.” [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. Blind acceptance of authority leads to harmful policies like environmental destruction and space militarization, reflecting systemic irrationality. **In simple terms:** Following authority without questioning causes dangerous policies. Key Takeaway Question authority, seek evidence. Themes critical thinking environment militarization authority Mood concerned critical urgent Type political environmental philosophical When to use this quote - activism - public policy debate - education reform - space governance Key Concepts institutional lunacy policy rationalization systems theory Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports these policies? - How can societies foster critical inquiry? A Different Perspective Blind trust can overlook nuanced evidence and alternative solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Destroying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying/) [Destroying the environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying-the-environment/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environment Militarizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment-militarizing-3532623/) [Institutional Lunacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutional-lunacy-2079877/) [Lunacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunacy/) [Outer space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outer-space/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Policies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-policies-3532621/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-rational-3532622/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) ## Related quotes > [If there are dollars to be made, you destroy the environment. The reason is elementary. The people who are going to be harmed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-there-are-dollars-to-be-made-you-destroy-the-environment-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you accept the institutional lunacy, then the policies are rational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-accept-the-institutional-lunacy-then-the-policies-are-rational/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The enormity of the universe revealed by science cannot readily be grasped by the human brain, but the music of The Planets enables the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-holst/the-enormity-of-the-universe-revealed-by-science-cannot-readily-be/) [Gustav Holst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-holst/) > [When geologists announced the beginning of a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene, humans destroying the environment, one of the main things they pointed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/when-geologists-announced-the-beginning-of-a-new-geological-epoch-the-2/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When geologists announced the beginning of a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene, humans destroying the environment, one of the main things they pointed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/when-geologists-announced-the-beginning-of-a-new-geological-epoch-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [The sad thing about destroying the environment is that we're going to take the rest of life with us. The bluebirds will be gone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/the-sad-thing-about-destroying-the-environment-is-that-we-re-going-to/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) > [Man has been endowed with reason, with the power to create, so that he can add to what he's been given. But up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/man-has-been-endowed-with-reason-with-the-power-to-create-so-that-he/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Human beings have been waging war and destroying the environment for long time. Just because it has been going on for a long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/human-beings-have-been-waging-war-and-destroying-the-environment-for/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [Farmers since the beginning of time have been feeding the world very successfully without systematically abusing animals or destroying the environment. But we're breeding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/farmers-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-been-feeding-the-world-very/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It is not man the ecological crisis threatens to destroy but the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-dubos/it-is-not-man-the-ecological-crisis-threatens-to-destroy-but-the/) [Rene Dubos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-dubos/) > [The human race has today the means for annihilating itself--either in a fit of complete lunacy, i.e., in a big war...or by the careless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-born/the-human-race-has-today-the-means-for-annihilating-itself-either-in/) [Max Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-born/) > [“He is smitten on the brain, -he reads and writes verses! I caught him in the act! Fools might say he was inspired; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-john-trelawny/he-is-smitten-on-the-brain-he-reads-and-writes-verses-i-caught-him-in/) [Edward John Trelawny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-john-trelawny/) > [“When you are gunning to be like other people, you are foolishly repeating their mistakes, and the worst of it all is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-are-gunning-to-be-like-other-people-you-are-foolishly/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Oh, all kinds of lunacy happens in Ireland, all kinds of lunacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/oh-all-kinds-of-lunacy-happens-in-ireland-all-kinds-of-lunacy/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Suppose that we believe what we are taught. . . . destroying the environment and militarizing outer space are rational policies . . . of institutional lunacy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taught-destroying-the-environment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taught-destroying-the-environment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/noam-chomsky-42_believe_suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taug_1190692.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Suppose that we believe what we are taught. . . . destroying the environment and militarizing outer space…” — Noam Chomsky", "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": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Suppose that we believe what we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taught-destroying-the-environment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/suppose-that-we-believe-what-we-are-taught-destroying-the-environment/#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 } } ] } ```