--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humans are really interesting. We're so…" description: "\"Humans are really interesting. We're so clever, what we do with our brain. How we manage to con ourselves into thinking all sorts of things is really f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/thandie-newton-24695_brain_humans-are-really-interesting-we-re-so-c_1726253.jpg" --- # Humans are really interesting. We're so clever, what we do… ![“Humans are really interesting. We're so clever, what we do with our brain. How we manage to con ourselves into thinking all sorts of things is really fascinating. By the same token, if we could just convince ourselves of things that would gather us together and powerfully turn things around for…” quote by Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/thandie-newton-24695_brain_humans-are-really-interesting-we-re-so-c_1726253.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/thandie-newton-24695_brain_humans-are-really-interesting-we-re-so-c_1726253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/thandie-newton-24695_brain_humans-are-really-interesting-we-re-so-c_1726253.jpg) > “Humans are really interesting. We're so clever, what we do with our brain. How we manage to con ourselves into thinking all sorts of things is really fascinating. By the same token, if we could just convince ourselves of things that would gather us together and powerfully turn things around for the good, that would be awesome. It's doubtful because we're such a fear-based species.” [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans possess remarkable cognitive abilities, yet often deceive themselves; harnessing collective belief could drive positive change, though fear dominates. **In simple terms:** People are clever but self‑deceiving; shared belief could help, but fear hinders. Key Takeaway Recognize fear, foster shared hopeful narratives. Themes psychology self‑deception collective belief hope fear change Mood reflective hopeful cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - community building - activism - leadership Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑fulfilling prophecy social influence Questions to Reflect On - How can we overcome fear to unite around a common vision? - What narratives can replace self‑deception with constructive belief? A Different Perspective Fear can paralyze even the most hopeful initiatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [In a very unscientific statement, I feel that there's been a disconnect between this clever brain and the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/in-a-very-unscientific-statement-i-feel-that-there-s-been-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Those who are clever, who have a brain, never understand anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-are-clever-who-have-a-brain-never-understand-anything/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm into the vampire stuff. I think it's really fascinating and interesting. There's a lot of history behind all of that, and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-votsis/i-m-into-the-vampire-stuff-i-think-it-s-really-fascinating-and/) [Gloria Votsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-votsis/) > [The beauty of nature demonstrates just how little humans really know in life. We can never create the constantly evolving show of mother nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-a-babb/the-beauty-of-nature-demonstrates-just-how-little-humans-really-know/) [Frederick A Babb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-a-babb/) > [We humans are really good at forming groups to compete, and then dissolving the groups and reforming them along different lines to compete in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/we-humans-are-really-good-at-forming-groups-to-compete-and-then/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [We can convince ourselves to do things in conjunction with one another that we wouldn't have been able to do as an individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/we-can-convince-ourselves-to-do-things-in-conjunction-with-one/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [Humans are not really very humane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/humans-are-not-really-very-humane/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [“We all convince ourselves of things like this- not necessarily about Say Anything, but about any fictionalized portrayals of romance that happen to hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/we-all-convince-ourselves-of-things-like-this-not-necessarily-about/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“Sometimes we try to convince ourselves of things that are not true, reframing the past to better explain the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/sometimes-we-try-to-convince-ourselves-of-things-that-are-not-true/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [I think if you're going to abuse someone, you really have to convince them of two things. First, you have to normalise what you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-think-if-you-re-going-to-abuse-someone-you-really-have-to-convince/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [Humans can really reveal themselves through what they choose to see as the most important or meaningful detail in an image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/humans-can-really-reveal-themselves-through-what-they-choose-to-see/) [Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/) > [The Woody Guthrie 'Dust Bowl' tunes were really fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-woody-guthrie-dust-bowl-tunes-were-really-fascinating/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I found the Internet really fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tans/i-found-the-internet-really-fascinating/) [Gillian Tans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-tans/) > [We grew up in my family thinking that politics was a really fascinating way to spend one's career and a way to be involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy-jr/we-grew-up-in-my-family-thinking-that-politics-was-a-really/) [John F. Kennedy Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy-jr/) > [Numbers are really fascinating things, and they do play a big part in our lives. They are a language of their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/numbers-are-really-fascinating-things-and-they-do-play-a-big-part-in/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) ## More by Thandie Newton > [I don't put the pressure on myself to be a very successful movie star. I want to enjoy being an actor and I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-don-t-put-the-pressure-on-myself-to-be-a-very-successful-movie-star/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [I'd love to do yoga every day. I don't usually have time, but a few sun salutations go a long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-d-love-to-do-yoga-every-day-i-don-t-usually-have-time-but-a-few-sun/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [I can hardly find the words to describe the peace I felt when I was acting. My dysfunctional self could actually plug in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-can-hardly-find-the-words-to-describe-the-peace-i-felt-when-i-was/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [I've been fortunate not to have been pigeonholed by virtue of being mixed-race, of being English and black, and by virtue of working all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-ve-been-fortunate-not-to-have-been-pigeonholed-by-virtue-of-being/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [From about the age of 5, I was aware that I didn't fit. I was the black, atheist kid in the all-white, Catholic school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/from-about-the-age-of-5-i-was-aware-that-i-didn-t-fit-i-was-the-black/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [Then I became a mother and it just fills every space, that isn't filled with something else important. 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The only time I get to be private is in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/when-i-am-out-and-about-i-feel-watched-it-s-become-second-nature-the/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [I feel like the sexy clothes put a bar between you. It's like putting an alcohol drenched piece of wood between you and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-feel-like-the-sexy-clothes-put-a-bar-between-you-it-s-like-putting/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [Fear is just part of our DNA and our make-up. By definition, if we've had to be looked after for two years, it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/fear-is-just-part-of-our-dna-and-our-make-up-by-definition-if-we-ve/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [Having children is life-changing, to state the obvious. It's a gigantic shift in your life and I welcomed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/having-children-is-life-changing-to-state-the-obvious-it-s-a-gigantic/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [The reality is that who you are is who you are right this second, not who you were at any moment in the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/the-reality-is-that-who-you-are-is-who-you-are-right-this-second-not/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [Crucially we haven't been figuring out how to live in oneness, with the Earth & every other living thing; we have just been insanely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/crucially-we-haven-t-been-figuring-out-how-to-live-in-oneness-with/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [I use the film industry as a pleasure for work and that kind of thing and it's not a pursuit to make me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-use-the-film-industry-as-a-pleasure-for-work-and-that-kind-of-thing/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) [Explore all 24 Thandie Newton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. 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