--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tell a man that there are 400 billion…" description: "\"Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint and he has to touch it.\" — Steven Wright" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/steven-wright-432_belief_tell-a-man-that-there-are-400-billion-st_3053986.jpg" --- # Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll… ![“Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint and he has to touch it.” quote by Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/steven-wright-432_belief_tell-a-man-that-there-are-400-billion-st_3053986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/steven-wright-432_belief_tell-a-man-that-there-are-400-billion-st_3053986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/steven-wright-432_belief_tell-a-man-that-there-are-400-billion-st_3053986.jpg) > “Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint and he has to touch it.” [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous observation that people accept large, abstract facts easily, but resist simple, tangible warnings. **In simple terms:** People trust big claims, ignore small warnings. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and test facts. Themes skepticism communication perception Mood witty thought‑provoking Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - education - media literacy - public safety Key Concepts cognitive bias information overload Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify information? - What small warnings have you ignored? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on authority can be dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Benches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [Tell a man there are 300 Billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarger/tell-a-man-there-are-300-billion-stars-in-the-universe-and-he-ll/) Jarger > [If you melt dry ice in a pool and go swimming, will you get wet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-you-melt-dry-ice-in-a-pool-and-go-swimming-will-you-get-wet/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [If I melt dry ice, can I swim without getting wet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-i-melt-dry-ice-can-i-swim-without-getting-wet/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“People don’t believe what you tell them. They rarely believe what you show them. They often believe what their friends tell them. They always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/people-don-t-believe-what-you-tell-them-they-rarely-believe-what-you-2/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [Don't believe what you see but only what I tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/don-t-believe-what-you-see-but-only-what-i-tell-you/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Tell me a fact, and I'll learn. Tell me a truth, and I'll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sabol/tell-me-a-fact-and-i-ll-learn-tell-me-a-truth-and-i-ll-believe-but/) [Ed Sabol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sabol/) > [Would you believe me if I tell you that I love you so much? Actually, I'd prefer it if you won't. Why? So that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nylle/would-you-believe-me-if-i-tell-you-that-i-love-you-so-much-actually-i-2/) Nylle > [“You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell sad stories,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-have-a-choice-in-this-world-i-believe-about-how-to-tell-sad-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Researchers have discovered that people will believe anything that you tell them researchers have discovered...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/researchers-have-discovered-that-people-will-believe-anything-that/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [It is useless to tell one not to reason but to believe; you might as well tell a man not to wake but sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/it-is-useless-to-tell-one-not-to-reason-but-to-believe-you-might-as/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [People seem to have an impressive capacity to change themselves if you believe in them, if you tell them they can and give them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-r-miller/people-seem-to-have-an-impressive-capacity-to-change-themselves-if/) [William R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-r-miller/) > [Would you believe me if I tell you that I love you so much? Actually, I'd prefer it if you wont. Why? So that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/would-you-believe-me-if-i-tell-you-that-i-love-you-so-much-actually-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate when people dont believe me when I tell them something...I dont care anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-when-people-dont-believe-me-when-i-tell-them-something-i-dont/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People don't believe what you tell them. They rarely believe what you show them. They often believe what their friends tell them. They always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/people-don-t-believe-what-you-tell-them-they-rarely-believe-what-you/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [There is nothing that you may not get people to believe in if you will only tell it them loud enough and often enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/there-is-nothing-that-you-may-not-get-people-to-believe-in-if-you/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) ## More by Steven Wright > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [My dental hygienist is cute. Every time I visit, I eat a whole package of Oreo cookies while waiting in the lobby. Sometimes she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/my-dental-hygienist-is-cute-every-time-i-visit-i-eat-a-whole-package/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-lawyers-are-disbarred-and-clergymen-defrocked-doesn-t-it-follow/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [If I ever had twins, I'd use one for parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-i-ever-had-twins-i-d-use-one-for-parts/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Nobody can really compare a relationship in which the victim is 15 years old to one where she's 6. While both criminal, they're very different circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/nobody-can-really-compare-a-relationship-in-which-the-victim-is-15/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I saw a tree fall in the woods, and I didn't hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-saw-a-tree-fall-in-the-woods-and-i-didn-t-hear-it/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [It's very intense to be in front of a live audience. It's just an amazing experience. It's dangerous. Everything out there is heightened. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/it-s-very-intense-to-be-in-front-of-a-live-audience-it-s-just-an/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I got pulled over by a cop, and he said, 'do you know the speed limit here is 55 miles per hour?'. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-got-pulled-over-by-a-cop-and-he-said-do-you-know-the-speed-limit/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Babies don't need a vacation, but I still see them at the beach... it pisses me off! I'll go over to a little baby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/babies-don-t-need-a-vacation-but-i-still-see-them-at-the-beach-it/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [When I'm on stage, it's really intense. My mind is going a million miles an hour, trying to remember my act, trying to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/when-i-m-on-stage-it-s-really-intense-my-mind-is-going-a-million/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I don't like politicians, and I don't like politics. I definitely don't want to be associated with any of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-don-t-like-politicians-and-i-don-t-like-politics-i-definitely-don-t/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I went to this restaurant last night that was set up like a big buffet in the shape of an Ouija board. You'd think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-went-to-this-restaurant-last-night-that-was-set-up-like-a-big/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/why-isn-t-the-number-11-pronounced-onety-one/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/a-conscience-is-what-hurts-when-all-your-other-parts-feel-so-good/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) [Explore all 564 Steven Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) ## 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": "Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll believe you. 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