--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is often very illuminating...to ask…" description: "\"It is often very illuminating...to ask yourself how you got at the facts on which you base your opinion. Who actually saw, heard, felt, counted, named ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e74/walter-lippmann-1083_ask-yourself_it-is-often-very-illuminating-to-ask-you_2613653.jpg" --- # It is often very illuminating...to ask yourself how you… ![“It is often very illuminating...to ask yourself how you got at the facts on which you base your opinion. Who actually saw, heard, felt, counted, named the thing, about which you have an opinion?” quote by Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e74/walter-lippmann-1083_ask-yourself_it-is-often-very-illuminating-to-ask-you_2613653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e74/walter-lippmann-1083_ask-yourself_it-is-often-very-illuminating-to-ask-you_2613653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e74/walter-lippmann-1083_ask-yourself_it-is-often-very-illuminating-to-ask-you_2613653.jpg) > “It is often very illuminating...to ask yourself how you got at the facts on which you base your opinion. Who actually saw, heard, felt, counted, named the thing, about which you have an opinion?” [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Question the origins of your facts and evidence before forming opinions. **In simple terms:** Check the source of your facts. Key Takeaway Verify evidence before concluding. Themes critical thinking skepticism truth opinion formation Mood skeptical inquisitive Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - debates - research - decision making - news consumption Key Concepts epistemology logic media literacy Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your view? - How can you trace its origin? A Different Perspective People may lack access to original sources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) ## Related quotes > [If people are reacting to films based on their degree of success or failure, then they're not really looking at the movie. 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THEIR OPINION DON'T MEAN SHIT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-muthapukkn-g/the-same-people-who-judge-you-are-the-same-ones-who-aren-t-doing-a/) Tony Muthapukkn G > [“Now everything is sold on the Internet and anybody at all who doesn't know a thing can give their opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharina-ingelman-sundberg/now-everything-is-sold-on-the-internet-and-anybody-at-all-who-doesn-t/) Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg > [It has always been my opinion since I first possessed such a thing as an opinion, that the man who knows only one subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-has-always-been-my-opinion-since-i-first-possessed-such-a-thing-as/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-idle-to-talk-always-of-the-alternative-of-reason-and-faith/) [G.K. 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How many things in life have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani/when-a-bad-experience-shakes-your-faith-in-humanity-hold-those/) [Drishti Bablani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani/) > [“It is important you understand how fear affects you and how it drives human behavior so you can start to see situations and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/it-is-important-you-understand-how-fear-affects-you-and-how-it-drives/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [“It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-idle-to-talk-always-of-the-alternative-of-reason-and-faith/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Picture your life exactly the way you want it and then ask yourself, am I doing the things that will take me there? Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-cook/picture-your-life-exactly-the-way-you-want-it-and-then-ask-yourself/) [Stephanie Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-cook/) > [“Just make sure you've taken a moment or two to ask yourself if it's really a need, and to reflect on the potential benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-laricchia/just-make-sure-you-ve-taken-a-moment-or-two-to-ask-yourself-if-it-s/) [Pam Laricchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-laricchia/) > [“Em's the first woman I've met who seems to be...well, the answer.' 'Answer to what?' He shrugged. 'All the questions, I suppose.' Fay looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gillard/em-s-the-first-woman-i-ve-met-who-seems-to-be-well-the-answer-answer/) [Linda Gillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gillard/) > [“Listen to what you tell yourself about your life situation. 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