--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very clever people are often very clever…" description: "\"Very clever people are often very clever at creating rationalisations for insane beliefs.\" — PZ Myers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg" --- # Very clever people are often very clever at creating… ![“Very clever people are often very clever at creating rationalisations for insane beliefs.” quote by PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg) > “Very clever people are often very clever at creating rationalisations for insane beliefs.” [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligent individuals often devise logical explanations to defend irrational ideas, masking their lack of evidence. **In simple terms:** Smart people rationalize crazy beliefs. Key Takeaway Question rationalizations. Themes critical thinking logic beliefs psychology Mood skeptical analytical Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - debates - education - media analysis - personal reflection Key Concepts cognitive bias rationalization Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports the belief? - How does bias affect reasoning? A Different Perspective Rationalizations can be persuasive despite flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Clever People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever-people/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Creating Rationalisations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating-rationalisations-5398557/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane/) [Insane Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane-beliefs-5398556/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-clever-1579312/) [Rationalisations Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationalisations-insane-5398555/) [Very clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-clever/) ## Related quotes > [It's the people who try to be clever who never are; the people who are clever never think of trying to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-parker/it-s-the-people-who-try-to-be-clever-who-never-are-the-people-who-are/) [Gilbert Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-parker/) > [The world is full of people who are very clever at seeming much smarter than they really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-world-is-full-of-people-who-are-very-clever-at-seeming-much/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Man is a rational animal—so at least I have been told. … Aristotle, so far as I know, was the first man to proclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-aristotle-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I don't believe that math and nature respond to democracy. Just because very clever people have rejected the role of the infinite, their collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janna-levin/i-don-t-believe-that-math-and-nature-respond-to-democracy-just/) [Janna Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janna-levin/) > [Bush is a very stupid man. The American people are not stupid, they are very clever. I can't understand how such clever people came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/bush-is-a-very-stupid-man-the-american-people-are-not-stupid-they-are/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [One begins to mistrust very clever people when they become embarrassed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-begins-to-mistrust-very-clever-people-when-they-become-embarrassed/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Half the world is composed of idiots, the other half of people clever enough to take indecent advantage of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kerr/half-the-world-is-composed-of-idiots-the-other-half-of-people-clever/) [Walter Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kerr/) > [“It does not teach you to live gracefully, it teaches you how to exploit others for your own purposes. And we think that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/it-does-not-teach-you-to-live-gracefully-it-teaches-you-how-to/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Now that cleverness was the fashion most people were clever - even perfect fools; and cleverness after all was often only a bore: all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/now-that-cleverness-was-the-fashion-most-people-were-clever-even/) [Walter de La Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [People are clever, but almost no one ever devises an optimal quip precisely at the needed moment. Therefore, virtually all great one-liners are later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/people-are-clever-but-almost-no-one-ever-devises-an-optimal-quip/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“Most people are clever because they don't know how to be honest." William Gaddis, The Recognitions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/most-people-are-clever-because-they-don-t-know-how-to-be-honest/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [Hubris is interesting, because you get people who are often very clever, very powerful, have achieved great things, and then something goes wrong -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-macmillan/hubris-is-interesting-because-you-get-people-who-are-often-very/) [Margaret MacMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-macmillan/) > [“It's the technology, see? We can't get away from it. Anywhere you find people, you find it. Clever little contraptions. Cunning strategies. We're toolmakers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/it-s-the-technology-see-we-can-t-get-away-from-it-anywhere-you-find/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [“Most people, however clever, however controlled, never hid it completely. There were chinks, clues, habits. At some point, the real person showed through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/most-people-however-clever-however-controlled-never-hid-it-completely/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [There are so many people who are clever. There are 8000 people at Princeton who are more clever than the three of us at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/there-are-so-many-people-who-are-clever-there-are-8000-people-at/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) ## More by PZ Myers > [Religion is an act of sedition against reason. Whatever religion is most seductive and likely to draw in victims to surrender their skepticism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/religion-is-an-act-of-sedition-against-reason-whatever-religion-is/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [Science provides tangible evidence of its accuracy and importance. Religion makes excuses for its absence of the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/science-provides-tangible-evidence-of-its-accuracy-and-importance/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [Human beings are still fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/human-beings-are-still-fish/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [“That's the difference between a godly person and an atheist. Our stories are shorter and don't assume the protagonist is an idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/that-s-the-difference-between-a-godly-person-and-an-atheist-our/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [Many of the religious apologists out there are not stupid people, they are often brilliant. 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A refusal to address an inequity is a strategy for maintaining that inequity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/silence-is-an-argument-in-favor-of-the-status-quo-a-refusal-to/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [religion is to misogyny as disease is to misery - not the sole cause, but a significant contributor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/religion-is-to-misogyny-as-disease-is-to-misery-not-the-sole-cause/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [And of course death can't be conquered...but oh, the battle can be glorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/and-of-course-death-can-t-be-conquered-but-oh-the-battle-can-be/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [We shouldn't be gratuitously obnoxious, we should be purposefully obnoxious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/we-shouldn-t-be-gratuitously-obnoxious-we-should-be-purposefully/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [It's amazing how much detail Catholics will go into documenting why people shouldn't do the things that they all do anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/it-s-amazing-how-much-detail-catholics-will-go-into-documenting-why/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [We live our lives for our life's sake, rather than for illusions about rewards and satisfaction after we're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/we-live-our-lives-for-our-life-s-sake-rather-than-for-illusions-about/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [FAITH. No one word personifies the absolute worst and most wicked properties of religion better than that. Faith is mind-rot. It’s the poison that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/faith-no-one-word-personifies-the-absolute-worst-and-most-wicked/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [If you've got a religious belief that withers in the face of observations of the natural world, you ought to rethink your beliefs -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/if-you-ve-got-a-religious-belief-that-withers-in-the-face-of/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [The mediocrity principle simply states that you aren't special. The universe does not revolve around you; this planet isn't privileged in any unique way;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/the-mediocrity-principle-simply-states-that-you-aren-t-special-the/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) > [We godless lack that certainty, and we know the world is a complex place that requires compromise and is not ruled by a moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/we-godless-lack-that-certainty-and-we-know-the-world-is-a-complex/) [PZ Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) [Explore all 24 PZ Myers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Very clever people are often very clever at creating rationalisations for insane beliefs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "PZ Myers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever-at-creating-rationalisations/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever-at-creating-rationalisations/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/pz-myers-24674_belief_very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever_682676.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Very clever people are often very clever at creating rationalisations for insane beliefs.” — PZ Myers", "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": "PZ Myers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pz-myers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Very clever people are often very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever-at-creating-rationalisations/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pz-myers/very-clever-people-are-often-very-clever-at-creating-rationalisations/#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 } } ] } ```