---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't pay attention to \"authorities,\"…"
description: "\"Don't pay attention to \"authorities,\" think for yourself.\" — Richard P. Feynman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png"
---

#  Don't pay attention to "authorities," think for yourself.

![“Don't pay attention to "authorities," think for yourself.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png)

> “Don't pay attention to "authorities," think for yourself.”

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Question authority and think independently, encouraging critical inquiry over blind obedience.

**In simple terms:** Think for yourself instead of following authority blindly.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate independent thought.

Themes

critical thinking individualism education skepticism

Mood

inquisitive empowering skeptical

Type

motivational philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- school
- work
- politics
- media consumption

Key Concepts

scientific method philosophy of mind

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance respect for expertise with personal judgment?
- When is questioning authority essential?

A Different Perspective

Authority can provide useful guidance; dismissing it entirely may ignore expertise.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Authorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-authorities-977857/) [Authorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authorities/) [Authorities Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authorities-think-3664565/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think for yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-for-yourself/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [“Wherever you may be, the moment you draw the attention of the authorities, the best thing you can do is disappear in a hurry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/wherever-you-may-be-the-moment-you-draw-the-attention-of-the/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [No state on earth can afford to allow several authorities to co-exist next to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abbas/no-state-on-earth-can-afford-to-allow-several-authorities-to-co-exist/)

[Mahmoud Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abbas/)

> [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/)

[Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/)

> [The aim of human life is to know thyself. Think for yourself. Question authority. Think with your friends. Create, create new realities. Philosophy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/the-aim-of-human-life-is-to-know-thyself-think-for-yourself-question/)

[Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/)

> [Since then I never pay attention to anything by "experts". I calculate everything myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/since-then-i-never-pay-attention-to-anything-by-experts-i-calculate/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [The Icesave matter is complex and it is understandable that the issue has been oversimplified by many. Unfortunately some of the basic facts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/the-icesave-matter-is-complex-and-it-is-understandable-that-the-issue/)

[Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/)

> [I acknowledge the right of the authorities and the press to satisfy themselves as to whether I am the anthrax mailer. This does not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/i-acknowledge-the-right-of-the-authorities-and-the-press-to-satisfy/)

[Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/)

> [Trade wars aren't started by countries appealing to respected, independent trade authorities. Rather, trade wars begin when one country decides to violate international trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-wyden/trade-wars-aren-t-started-by-countries-appealing-to-respected/)

[Ron Wyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-wyden/)

> [As an independent person, I find it difficult being dependent for everything, for even my food and medicine, to the prison authorities. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/as-an-independent-person-i-find-it-difficult-being-dependent-for/)

[Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/)

> [We will defend ourselves, and we have full rights to do so. If the authorities try to destroy us, we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-udaltsov/we-will-defend-ourselves-and-we-have-full-rights-to-do-so-if-the/)

[Sergei Udaltsov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-udaltsov/)

> [“The authorities are excellent at amassing facts, though they do not always use them to advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/the-authorities-are-excellent-at-amassing-facts-though-they-do-not/)

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/)

> [The job of the government - and my responsibility - is to help people live healthier lives. The framework is about giving local authorities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lansley/the-job-of-the-government-and-my-responsibility-is-to-help-people/)

[Andrew Lansley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lansley/)

> [ “all \[the authorities\] did was to guard the distant and invisible interests of distant and invisible masters” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/all-the-authorities-did-was-to-guard-the-distant-and-invisible/)

[Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/)

> [Well, I think In Love and War, which had a wonderful performance by Sandy, Sandra Bullock, who the authorities and, the supposed authorities, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attenborough/well-i-think-in-love-and-war-which-had-a-wonderful-performance-by/)

[Richard Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attenborough/)

> [“It is well to remember that authorities in the field of science are really opinions, and that such authorities have a wax nose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/it-is-well-to-remember-that-authorities-in-the-field-of-science-are/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

## More by Richard P. Feynman

> [“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-of-the-fundamental-requisites/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Today's brains are yesterday's mashed potatoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/today-s-brains-are-yesterday-s-mashed-potatoes/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Mathematics is a language plus reasoning; it is like a language plus logic. Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-a-language-plus-reasoning-it-is-like-a-language-plus/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [It is necessary for the very existence of science that minds exist which do not allow that nature must satisfy some preconceived conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-is-necessary-for-the-very-existence-of-science-that-minds-exist/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [All the time you're saying to yourself, 'I could do that, but I won't,'--which is just another way of saying that you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/all-the-time-you-re-saying-to-yourself-i-could-do-that-but-i-won-t/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [“There's a big difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-s-a-big-difference-between-knowing-the-name-of-something-and/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [I was a very shy character, always feeling uncomfortable because everybody was stronger than I, and always afraid I would look like a sissy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-was-a-very-shy-character-always-feeling-uncomfortable-because/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

[Explore all 515 Richard P. Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

## More Attention quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/)

[Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/)

[Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Don't pay attention to \"authorities,\" think for yourself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard P. Feynman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think-for-yourself/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think-for-yourself/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/755/richard-p-feynman-495_attention_don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think_2831986.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Don't pay attention to \"authorities,\" think for yourself.” — Richard P. Feynman",
                "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": "Richard P. Feynman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Don't pay attention to \"authorities,\" think...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think-for-yourself/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/don-t-pay-attention-to-authorities-think-for-yourself/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```