--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People today will have you believing life…" description: "\"“People today will have you believing life is a blank slate upon which you can write anything at all--this is poetic, even romantic. Unfortunately, it'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/northern-adams-40439_believing_people-today-will-have-you-believing-lif_2504468.jpg" --- # People today will have you believing life is a blank slate… ![“People today will have you believing life is a blank slate upon which you can write anything at all--this is poetic, even romantic. Unfortunately, it's also a lie, because life exists in, is bound by, shaped by, controlled by, and functions within a construct. Attempt to function outside that…” quote by Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/northern-adams-40439_believing_people-today-will-have-you-believing-lif_2504468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/northern-adams-40439_believing_people-today-will-have-you-believing-lif_2504468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4f/northern-adams-40439_believing_people-today-will-have-you-believing-lif_2504468.jpg) > ““People today will have you believing life is a blank slate upon which you can write anything at all--this is poetic, even romantic. Unfortunately, it's also a lie, because life exists in, is bound by, shaped by, controlled by, and functions within a construct. Attempt to function outside that construct, or bend it to our will, or remove it completely, and you throw all of society into chaos. We're seeing that now. Like it or not, birds don't fly upside down...and neither can we.”” [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that life is constrained by societal structures; attempting to ignore or radically reshape them leads to chaos. **In simple terms:** Life is limited by social constructs; ignoring them causes disorder. Key Takeaway Recognize and work within existing structures. Themes society structure chaos control Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political activism - personal ambition - social reform Key Concepts social constructs agency order Questions to Reflect On - How can we responsibly influence existing structures? - What limits exist in reshaping society? A Different Perspective Attempting to completely discard structures can be unrealistic and harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [The only basis for living is believing in life, loving it, and applying the whole force of one's intellect to know it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-only-basis-for-living-is-believing-in-life-loving-it-and-applying/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“Just because you are alive, doesn’t mean that life is going to hand you everything. If you keep believing life will somehow automatically improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-you-are-alive-doesn-t-mean-that-life-is-going-to-hand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It has been a woman's task throughout history to go on believing in life when there was almost no hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/it-has-been-a-woman-s-task-throughout-history-to-go-on-believing-in/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [We've survived by believing our life is going to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/we-ve-survived-by-believing-our-life-is-going-to-get-better/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Believing in life after death is not the question, but living your life before death; that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/believing-in-life-after-death-is-not-the-question-but-living-your/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“I started out believing that life was made just so the world would have some way to think about itself, but that it had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-started-out-believing-that-life-was-made-just-so-the-world-would/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In each of us lies sleeping beauty, wasted potential, dying dreams. We sleep and live in dormant twilight, never knowing what it means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-thompson/in-each-of-us-lies-sleeping-beauty-wasted-potential-dying-dreams-we/) [Kay Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-thompson/) > [“If you are waking up believing that there is more to life than there is — then there is more for you out there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/if-you-are-waking-up-believing-that-there-is-more-to-life-than-there/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [“if every one has faith, where did it come from? And then they do say that it all comes from terror at the menacing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-every-one-has-faith-where-did-it-come-from-and-then-they-do-say/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“I'm not sure, with a grandmother like mine, if you can ever become a true American in the sense of believing that life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/i-m-not-sure-with-a-grandmother-like-mine-if-you-can-ever-become-a/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Doesn't assuming that an intelligence created these perfect conditions require far less faith than believing that a life-sustaining Earth just happened to beat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/doesn-t-assuming-that-an-intelligence-created-these-perfect/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) > [“life can throw knives in eyes that are searching for a reason to keep believing. And life makes no apologies. The very nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-schlyer/life-can-throw-knives-in-eyes-that-are-searching-for-a-reason-to-keep/) Krista Schlyer > [“if you do not believe in prophecy it has the same measure of you not believing in your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ofori-thaddeus/if-you-do-not-believe-in-prophecy-it-has-the-same-measure-of-you-not/) Ofori Thaddeus > [“Isn’t this the whole meaning of life in this world: To choose between bondage to the material world and believing that your life comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzvi-freeman/isn-t-this-the-whole-meaning-of-life-in-this-world-to-choose-between/) [Tzvi Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzvi-freeman/) > [“Part of faith is believing every life has a purpose: that’s why life is so sacred to Christians. And we believe that not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/part-of-faith-is-believing-every-life-has-a-purpose-that-s-why-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Northern Adams > [“If depression was a choice, no one would choose it. Depression is not a choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/if-depression-was-a-choice-no-one-would-choose-it-depression-is-not-a/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“If you tell someone you have depression, they will often say, "Oh, I've been depressed before, too." The difference lies between being depressed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/if-you-tell-someone-you-have-depression-they-will-often-say-oh-i-ve/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“Diversion is the absolute worst remedy for depression. When we ignore the things that haunt us or taunt us, not only do they keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/diversion-is-the-absolute-worst-remedy-for-depression-when-we-ignore/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“Any time someone gives you drugs, the purpose is to subdue. Always. Whether it is from a dealer, a friend, your mother/brother/sister/son, or your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/any-time-someone-gives-you-drugs-the-purpose-is-to-subdue-always/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“It is human nature to constantly reach out for something to tether oneself to, but it's the fool who cannot tell what he's trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/it-is-human-nature-to-constantly-reach-out-for-something-to-tether/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“Just because a thing is present on earth, that does not mean it is inherently good or that we're supposed to consume or exploit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/just-because-a-thing-is-present-on-earth-that-does-not-mean-it-is/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“Laws don't limit freedom. Laws insure the freedoms of the majority. Laws are unjust when they serve to put the majority of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/laws-don-t-limit-freedom-laws-insure-the-freedoms-of-the-majority/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“The Bible itself can be used for both good and evil. That doesn't mean it's flawed. It means that it is perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/the-bible-itself-can-be-used-for-both-good-and-evil-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“Diversion is pernicious to depressives. Our lives are like waking dreams--correction, nightmares--where monsters chase us, never breaking off pursuit in order to rest or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/diversion-is-pernicious-to-depressives-our-lives-are-like-waking/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) > [“Contrary to popular opinion or the escapist trends of society, false hope is in no way better than a harsh truth. A harsh truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northern-adams/contrary-to-popular-opinion-or-the-escapist-trends-of-society-false/) [Northern Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) [Explore all 11 Northern Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northern-adams/) ## More Believing quotes > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [“Believing is not the same as knowing. Believing is second-hand knowledge, whereas knowing is first-hand experience. When your action comes from a level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-kanna/believing-is-not-the-same-as-knowing-believing-is-second-hand/) [Yogi Kanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-kanna/) > [Things aren't always as they appear. I've been believing things to be a certain way because I want them to be that way. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-dennen/things-aren-t-always-as-they-appear-i-ve-been-believing-things-to-be/) [Brett Dennen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-dennen/) > [You cannot will yourself to be happy while believing that you have no right to happiness, or that you are unworthy of it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/you-cannot-will-yourself-to-be-happy-while-believing-that-you-have-no/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [It's never late to go after your dreams. All it takes is believing and hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitor-belfort/it-s-never-late-to-go-after-your-dreams-all-it-takes-is-believing-and/) [Vitor Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitor-belfort/) > [“There are five important things for living a successful and fulfilling life: never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/there-are-five-important-things-for-living-a-successful-and/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [Start believing that things are going to change for the better. Not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-believing-that-things-are-going-to-change-for-the-better-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never stopped believing in my ability or what I was doing. I want to pass that sense of faith and perseverance on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vantile-whitfield/i-never-stopped-believing-in-my-ability-or-what-i-was-doing-i-want-to/) [Vantile Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vantile-whitfield/) > [“It’s not easy to believe in anything when your whole world turns upside down. The main thing is to keep believing in yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-jayne-ashford/it-s-not-easy-to-believe-in-anything-when-your-whole-world-turns/) [Lindsay Jayne Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-jayne-ashford/) > [Stop expecting, Start believing¦ If you truly love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-expecting-start-believing-if-you-truly-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This idea that once you get into politics... you are now signed up for lifelong duty being in elective office, makes a fundamental error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gonzalez/this-idea-that-once-you-get-into-politics-you-are-now-signed-up-for/) [Matt Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gonzalez/) > [Chairman Mao not only introduced Pinyin in China, but also simplified half the Chinese characters, believing that fewer strokes would enable more people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tang/chairman-mao-not-only-introduced-pinyin-in-china-but-also-simplified/) [David Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tang/) > [It's one thing believing in yourself, it's another thing having other people believe in you, and that is the greatest gift, honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-magnussen/it-s-one-thing-believing-in-yourself-it-s-another-thing-having-other/) [Billy Magnussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-magnussen/) > [We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We no longer need to beg or plead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/we-have-been-deceived-into-believing-prayer-is-all-about-persuading/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) Browse all 1,471 Believing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People today will have you believing life is a blank slate upon which you can write anything at all--this is poetic, even romantic. Unfortunately, it's also a lie, because life exists in, is bound by, shaped by, controlled by, and functions within a construct. Attempt to function outside that construct, or bend it to our will, or remove it completely, and you throw all of society into chaos. We're seeing that now. 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