Quotes / Selective Obliviousness

"I choose not to understand these signs!"

— Bender, Futurama

"Still, a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest."

—Simon & Garfunkel, "The Boxer"

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."

— Paul Bradford, The Dungeonmaster (popularized by Adam Savage, Mythbusters), also attributed to talk radio host Michael Savage.

Sometimes, days are like this
And you don't agree with what you see...

— Opinions Won't Keep You Warm At Night, a song by The Temper Trap

If I, at my own convenience, forget what they say
I find it easy to focus on living each day
If I could change it I would, to do what someone else should
But I believe that the problem is misunderstood

— Lemon Demon, "What Will Happen Will Happen"

Sarge: Come on, you two, let's get a move on! Where's yer commanding officer?

Simmons: (pointing at Grif) He's right there.

Sarge: [Beat] Where, behind Grif?

Simmons: Sergeant Grif is our C.O., Sir.

Sarge: Your Sergeant has the same name as Grif? That's a disturbing coincidence.

Simmons: No, no, listen to me. Grif is our commander. He was promoted to Sergeant when you refused to relocate with us.

Sarge: But who's in charge!?

Simmons: Sergeant Grif!

Sarge: Okay, see, I can hear you saying words, but it's like they don't match up in a way that makes sense. Did ya have a stroke?

Simmons: Grif is a Sergeant. He's the same rank as you now.

Sarge: That's who I'm talkin' about. Where is he?

Simmons: He's right there!

Sarge: So, he's invisible.

Grif: Dude, I don't think he's physically capable of understanding what you're telling him.

—Red vs. Blue

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."

— Upton Sinclair

Willow: Wow, I keep stepping on a lot of crunchy twigs.
Luz: Those are bones, Willow.
Willow: (cheerfully) Not if I never look down!

— The Owl House

Cartman: You guys can't scare me. I know you're making it all up.

Stan: Cartman, there's an 80-foot satellite dish sticking out of your ass!

Cartman: Sure you guys, whatever!

—South Park, "Cartman Gets An Anal Probe"

Trucy: I guess he's one of those people who only hear what they want to hear.

Apollo: ...In other words, he's a model politician.

— Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice, on Paul Atishon's introduction.

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."

— George Orwell, Notes on Nationalism

Hermione: I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now.
Ron: Hermione—open your ears! They. Like. It. They like being enslaved!
Hermione: (ignoring him) Our short-term aims are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions....

— Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

A more alert guardian than Aunt Maude would have noticed the change — the whispered colloquies, the tanned faces and uncut hair, the extra half-inch or so of height we would gain during an especially long trip to Fillory. But she didn't notice. People are very determined to see only what they can explain.

—Rupert Chatwin, The Magician's Land

Tobias: You know, Mother Lucille, there's a psychological concept known as 'denial' that I think you're evincing. It's when a thought is so hateful that the mind literally rejects it.
Lucille: You are a worse psychiatrist than you are a son-in-law, and you will never get work as an actor because you have no talent.
Tobias: Well, if she's not going to say anything, I certainly can't help her.

— Arrested Development

"WATCH OUT! THAT BLACK GUY'S GOT A GUN AND HE'S GONNA STEAL YOUR BANANA!"

— Police officer in front of two guys (one white, one black) each eating a banana, Key & Peele, "He's Got A Gun" sketch

"The Dream has no memory of that."

— The Velveteen Dream on his early elimination from WWE Tough Enough

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