--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Skeptics are always marked by their total…" description: "\"“Skeptics are always marked by their total lack of skepticism towards whatever position they are defending.”\" — Steve Madison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg" --- # Skeptics are always marked by their total lack of… ![“Skeptics are always marked by their total lack of skepticism towards whatever position they are defending.” quote by Steve Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg) > ““Skeptics are always marked by their total lack of skepticism towards whatever position they are defending.”” Steve Madison ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Skeptics often lack skepticism toward their own positions, revealing a paradox where they defend beliefs without questioning them. **In simple terms:** Skepticism can be blind. Key Takeaway Question your own stance. Themes skepticism critical thinking paradox Mood analytical thoughtful Type observation statement When to use this quote - debate preparation - self‑reflection - media literacy Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can skeptics maintain true doubt? - What are the dangers of defending without questioning? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynic/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Skeptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptic/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Skeptics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptics/) ## Related quotes > [Skepticism is not a position; it's a process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/skepticism-is-not-a-position-it-s-a-process/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Skepticism is not a position; skepticism is an approach to claims, in the same way that science is not a subject but a method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/skepticism-is-not-a-position-skepticism-is-an-approach-to-claims-in/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Skepticism is not a position that you stake out ahead of time and stick to no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/skepticism-is-not-a-position-that-you-stake-out-ahead-of-time-and/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [“That's what drives science though: trying to find out the way things are, the way they were, and the way it really works. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ra/that-s-what-drives-science-though-trying-to-find-out-the-way-things/) [Aron Ra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ra/) > [“The biggest mistake we can make is to think that we've figured the whole thing out. The people I know who are the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-kazinski/the-biggest-mistake-we-can-make-is-to-think-that-we-ve-figured-the/) [A.J. Kazinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-kazinski/) > [Skeptics squat by the road like guardians of truth, letting no one pass who doesn't come up to scratch. They never realize that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/skeptics-squat-by-the-road-like-guardians-of-truth-letting-no-one/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The problem of evil is raised more often by spectators of life than the actual combatants. You will hardly ever find that the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stewart/the-problem-of-evil-is-raised-more-often-by-spectators-of-life-than/) [James Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stewart/) > [“Within the pages and pages of crazed ruminations documented in large fonts, all caps, and eye-scorching neons, he found only a few articles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-c-wilson/within-the-pages-and-pages-of-crazed-ruminations-documented-in-large/) [Jared C. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-c-wilson/) > [I am the skeptic of skeptics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-caldwell/i-am-the-skeptic-of-skeptics/) [Taylor Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-caldwell/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters. I don't mean to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a-2/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The skeptics who say it can't be done are simply in extremely limited states of mind. They can't even perceive the possibility of anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-skeptics-who-say-it-can-t-be-done-are-simply-in-extremely-limited/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“... But these skeptics are only selectively skeptical. They think themselves enlightened for resisting all this new proof and remaining steadfast in mistrusting anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ilgunas/but-these-skeptics-are-only-selectively-skeptical-they-think/) [Ken Ilgunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ilgunas/) > [“I'm a Skeptic. And I'm a Journalist. I look up things in the library—a lot! I believe in the motto of Missouri, the 'Show-me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-lee/i-m-a-skeptic-and-i-m-a-journalist-i-look-up-things-in-the-library-a/) [Earl Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-lee/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Your sweet spot is in between the true believers and the scoffing skeptics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/your-sweet-spot-is-in-between-the-true-believers-and-the-scoffing/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) ## More by Steve Madison > [“Existence is mathematical music, and all of us are the instruments playing the cosmic symphony. Our task is simple - to arrive not at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madison/existence-is-mathematical-music-and-all-of-us-are-the-instruments/) Steve Madison Explore all 2 Steve Madison quotes ## More Cynic quotes > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-masquerades-as-wisdom-but-it-is-the-farthest-thing-from-it/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [Why should we strive, with cynic frown, to knock their fairy castles down?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-cook/why-should-we-strive-with-cynic-frown-to-knock-their-fairy-castles/) [Eliza Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-cook/) > [Only the broken-hearted idealist can become a cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-clifton/only-the-broken-hearted-idealist-can-become-a-cynic/) Mark Clifton > [I get the cynicism thing all the time, although I don't really know where that comes from, because I think I'm actually the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/i-get-the-cynicism-thing-all-the-time-although-i-don-t-really-know/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [“Listen, O lord of the meeting rivers, things standing shall fall, but the moving ever shall stay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basava/listen-o-lord-of-the-meeting-rivers-things-standing-shall-fall-but/) Basava > [An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/an-executive-should-be-a-realist-and-no-one-is-less-realistic-than/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Remember that all is opinion. For what was said by the Cynic Monimus is manifest: and manifest too is the use of what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/remember-that-all-is-opinion-for-what-was-said-by-the-cynic-monimus/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The idea of The Boy Vs. The Cynic is the tension between the wide-eyed optimism in youthfulness where you think nothing can go wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-reuben-zappin/the-idea-of-the-boy-vs-the-cynic-is-the-tension-between-the-wide-eyed/) [John Reuben Zappin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-reuben-zappin/) > [The cynic makes fun of all earnestness; he makes fun of everything and everyone who feels that something can be done. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edgar-vincent/the-cynic-makes-fun-of-all-earnestness-he-makes-fun-of-everything-and/) George Edgar Vincent > [To me it seems to be important to believe people to be good even if they tend to be bad, because your own joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/to-me-it-seems-to-be-important-to-believe-people-to-be-good-even-if/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [ \[in the\]..curious way that my idealism has been mixed with my fatalism, so that I can possess the soul of a dreamer and that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-the-curious-way-that-my-idealism-has-been-mixed-with-my-fatalism/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The only way to do my job without optimism would be as a cynic, and that's not my nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-snow/the-only-way-to-do-my-job-without-optimism-would-be-as-a-cynic-and/) [Jon Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-snow/) > [A sceptic finds Dallas absurd. A cynic thinks the public doesn't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/a-sceptic-finds-dallas-absurd-a-cynic-thinks-the-public-doesn-t/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) [Browse all 217 Cynic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Skeptics are always marked by their total lack of skepticism towards whatever position they are defending.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Madison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madison/skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-total-lack-of-skepticism-towards/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cynic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madison/skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-total-lack-of-skepticism-towards/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/steve-madison-90397_cynic_skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-tota_71828.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Skeptics are always marked by their total lack of skepticism towards whatever position they are defending.” — Steve Madison", "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": "Steve Madison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-madison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Skeptics are always marked by their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madison/skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-total-lack-of-skepticism-towards/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madison/skeptics-are-always-marked-by-their-total-lack-of-skepticism-towards/#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 } } ] } ```