“When men stop believing in God, it isn't that they then believe in nothing: they believe in everything.”
— Umberto Eco
Simplified Meaning:
When people stop believing in a higher power like God, they don't just stop having faith. Instead, they start believing in all sorts of other things, sometimes without thinking them through. It's like when a town's main soccer coach quits, everyone starts trying different sports hoping to find a new favorite. This can lead to confusion and mixed results because they keep changing what they think is important. For example, if someone stops following their religion, they might start trusting in superstitions, horoscopes, or unfounded rumors because they still feel the need for something to guide their lives. It shows that it's easy for people to replace one belief with many others, which might not always be helpful or true. To live a balanced life, it's important to think critically about what you believe in and why, rather than grabbing onto every new idea that comes along.