Adventure Quote by Tom Robbins
“As long as a population can be induced to believe in a supernatural hereafter, it can be oppressed and controlled. People will put up with all sorts of tyranny, poverty, and painful treatment if they're convinced that they'll eventually escape to some resort in the sky where lifeguards are superfluous and the pool never closes. Moreover, the faithful are usually willing to risk their skins in whatever military adventure their government may currently be promoting.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Half Asleep in a Full Moon, 1994
Belief in an afterlife can be exploited to control masses, making them accept suffering.
In simple terms: Religion can be used to oppress.
Key Takeaway
Question authority and seek truth.
Themes
power
religion
control
oppression
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- political regimes
- religious movements
- military recruitment
- social justice activism
Key Concepts
social manipulation
psychology of belief
Questions to Reflect On
- How does belief shape obedience?
- What alternatives to belief can empower people?
A Different Perspective
Not all societies rely on afterlife beliefs; other controls exist.
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
