Credibility Quote by Tom Stoppard
“How the hell do I know what I find incredible? Credibility is an expanding field... Sheer disbelief hardly registers on the face before the head is nodding with all the wisdom of instant hindsight.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, 1966
The quote questions how we recognize awe, noting that credibility expands and we often only realize insight after the fact, when hindsight feels wise.
In simple terms: We often realize something is amazing only after it happens.
Key Takeaway
Trust intuition, then verify later.
Themes
self‑reflection
perception
wisdom
Mood
contemplative
curious
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- making decisions
- creative brainstorming
- learning from experience
- evaluating credibility
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
epistemology
hindsight
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate genuine awe from hindsight bias?
- What steps can you take to assess credibility in the moment?
A Different Perspective
Our immediate judgments may be clouded; hindsight can distort true insight.
![“I can assure the conspiracy theorists who have very effectively savaged [Gerald] Posner in their books that they're going to have a much, much more difficult time with me. As a trial lawyer in front of a jury and an author of true-crime books, credibility has always meant everything to me. My only…” quote by Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/314/vincent-bugliosi-8709_book_i-can-assure-the-conspiracy-theorists-wh_47158.jpg)
