--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Con] men have long known . . . that…" description: "\"[Con] men have long known . . . that their job is not to convince skeptics but to enable the gullible to continue to believe what they want to believe...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/thomas-sowell-247_believe_con-men-have-long-known-that-their-job-i_2565376.jpg" --- # \[Con\] men have long known . . . that their job is not to… ![“[Con] men have long known . . . that their job is not to convince skeptics but to enable the gullible to continue to believe what they want to believe.” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/thomas-sowell-247_believe_con-men-have-long-known-that-their-job-i_2565376.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/thomas-sowell-247_believe_con-men-have-long-known-that-their-job-i_2565376.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/thomas-sowell-247_believe_con-men-have-long-known-that-their-job-i_2565376.jpg) > “\[Con\] men have long known . . . that their job is not to convince skeptics but to enable the gullible to continue to believe what they want to believe.” [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People aim to keep the naive believing rather than persuading skeptics. **In simple terms:** People keep the gullible believing. Key Takeaway Focus on influencing the receptive. Themes influence belief skepticism Mood cynical critical Type political social commentary When to use this quote - political campaigns - marketing - propaganda - education Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance persuasion with honesty? - What are the risks of catering to gullibility? A Different Perspective It ignores the responsibility to inform truthfully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Convince Skeptics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince-skeptics-1642702/) [Gullible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gullible/) [Gullible Continue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gullible-continue-1642704/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Skeptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptic/) [Skeptics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptics/) [Skeptics Enable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptics-enable-1642703/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [If you are committed to the change, you're going to have to sideline the skeptics, or at least keep them under control. 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