--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stupid people surround themselves with…" description: "\"Stupid people surround themselves with smart people. Smart people surround themselves with smart people who disagree with them.\" — Aaron Sorkin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/aaron-sorkin-2826_disagree_stupid-people-surround-themselves-with-s_1835024.png" --- # Stupid people surround themselves with smart people. Smart… ![“Stupid people surround themselves with smart people. Smart people surround themselves with smart people who disagree with them.” quote by Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/aaron-sorkin-2826_disagree_stupid-people-surround-themselves-with-s_1835024.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/aaron-sorkin-2826_disagree_stupid-people-surround-themselves-with-s_1835024.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/aaron-sorkin-2826_disagree_stupid-people-surround-themselves-with-s_1835024.png) > “Stupid people surround themselves with smart people. Smart people surround themselves with smart people who disagree with them.” [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligent people often gather with like‑minded peers, but those who disagree foster deeper insight. **In simple terms:** Seek diverse viewpoints for growth. Key Takeaway Surround yourself with thoughtful dissent. Themes intelligence diversity dialogue Mood analytical motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - academic seminars - policy debates Key Concepts critical thinking group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle disagreement? - Why is dissent valuable? A Different Perspective May cause conflict if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disagree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagree/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-smart/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-people/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Surround](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surround/) ## Related quotes > [Smart people sometimes get stupid, but stupid people never get smart. Never. Ever. 'You can come down the evolutionary ladder,' Chon has observed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/smart-people-sometimes-get-stupid-but-stupid-people-never-get-smart/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [Smart people sometimes get stupid, but stupid people never get smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-winslow/smart-people-sometimes-get-stupid-but-stupid-people-never-get-smart-2/) [Don Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-winslow/) > [The Chinese are not stupid people. They're very smart people. They told me very, very distinctly that they cannot believe how stupid our representatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-chinese-are-not-stupid-people-they-re-very-smart-people-they-told/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The biggest problem in the world is that stupid people are full of confidence whereas smart people are full of doubts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-problem-in-the-world-is-that-stupid-people-are-full-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“ordinary people are smart, smart people are ordinary, decisions are best made by the people affected by them, and human beings have an almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/ordinary-people-are-smart-smart-people-are-ordinary-decisions-are/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Stupid people do stupid things, but people who are smart enough can do something really stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/stupid-people-do-stupid-things-but-people-who-are-smart-enough-can-do/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [He (God) is not looking for smart people, because He is the smart one. All he wants are people simple enough to trust him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/he-god-is-not-looking-for-smart-people-because-he-is-the-smart-one/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [I love people, 'cause people are so smart. People have done a lot of great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-b/i-love-people-cause-people-are-so-smart-people-have-done-a-lot-of/) [Lil B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-b/) > [There are two types of people in the world: dumb smart people and smart dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cooper/there-are-two-types-of-people-in-the-world-dumb-smart-people-and/) [Alex Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cooper/) > [Only dumb people try to impress smart people. Smart people just do what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/only-dumb-people-try-to-impress-smart-people-smart-people-just-do/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [“Do you know how hard it is to get stupid people to do smart things?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-anne-browning/do-you-know-how-hard-it-is-to-get-stupid-people-to-do-smart-things/) [Terri Anne Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-anne-browning/) > [I think I grew up with a profound sense of watching people who were good people, who were smart people, who were hardworking people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-think-i-grew-up-with-a-profound-sense-of-watching-people-who-were/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Remember when phones were stupid and people were smart?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/facts/remember-when-phones-were-stupid-and-people-were-smart/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/facts/) > [“When I was a kid, my father told me there are two kinds of people in the world: smart people and wise people. Smart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-a-kid-my-father-told-me-there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just want to say that I've been to - I love Puerto Ricans, they're very smart people, they're smart, they're street smart, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hinchcliffe/i-just-want-to-say-that-i-ve-been-to-i-love-puerto-ricans-they-re/) [Tony Hinchcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hinchcliffe/) ## More by Aaron Sorkin > [Conflict, when used as a device, makes for good television and bad journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/conflict-when-used-as-a-device-makes-for-good-television-and-bad/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Film doesn't have to worry. Movies are awesome. There's no war going on, theaters aren't going to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/film-doesn-t-have-to-worry-movies-are-awesome-there-s-no-war-going-on/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [People don't live their lives in a series of scenes that form a dramatic narrative, they don't speak in dialogue, they're not lit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/people-don-t-live-their-lives-in-a-series-of-scenes-that-form-a/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [One of the biggest challenges in the past for me in working on the networks was that audiences have grown accustomed to television being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-the-past-for-me-in-working-on-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [You're going to fall down, but the world doesn't care how many times you fall down, as long as it's one fewer than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/you-re-going-to-fall-down-but-the-world-doesn-t-care-how-many-times/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [We live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/we-live-in-a-world-that-has-walls-and-those-walls-have-to-be-guarded/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [As an audience member, I like the sound of something that's been written - I like it to sound written. And then, of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/as-an-audience-member-i-like-the-sound-of-something-that-s-been/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [She's a person; the doctor pronounces her dead, not the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/she-s-a-person-the-doctor-pronounces-her-dead-not-the-news/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [It's nice that HBO is in business with the audience and not with the advertisers. There's a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/it-s-nice-that-hbo-is-in-business-with-the-audience-and-not-with-the/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [“TOBY: The world can move or not by changing some words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/toby-the-world-can-move-or-not-by-changing-some-words/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I had never thought of doing television. But my agent wanted me to meet John Wells, who had had a lot of success producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-had-never-thought-of-doing-television-but-my-agent-wanted-me-to/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Government should be a place where people can come together, and no one gets left behind. No one…gets left behind. An instrument of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/government-should-be-a-place-where-people-can-come-together-and-no/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Television from its inception had the number one goal to alienate as few people as possible. That's why if you look at 1950s, 1960s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/television-from-its-inception-had-the-number-one-goal-to-alienate-as/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [Josh: So, Toby, it’s election night. What do you say about a country that goes out of its way to protect even those citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/josh-so-toby-it-s-election-night-what-do-you-say-about-a-country-that/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [The hardest thing for me is getting started. If I'm writing a script, really 90 per cent of it would be just walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/the-hardest-thing-for-me-is-getting-started-if-i-m-writing-a-script/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) [Explore all 148 Aaron Sorkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) ## More Disagree quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [As a culture, we've all agreed with the opinion that the world should be seen in a certain way, so at 'The Nightly Show,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/as-a-culture-we-ve-all-agreed-with-the-opinion-that-the-world-should/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Everyone thinks they've won the Magical Belief Lottery. Everyone thinks they more or less have a handle on things, that they, as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/everyone-thinks-they-ve-won-the-magical-belief-lottery-everyone/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [I disagree with any policy that would turn America's back on people who are fleeing harm. I frankly believe that it is contrary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/i-disagree-with-any-policy-that-would-turn-america-s-back-on-people/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [Read things you're sure will disagree with your current thinking. If you're a die-hard anti-animal person, read Meat. If you're a die-hard global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/read-things-you-re-sure-will-disagree-with-your-current-thinking-if/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Animals obviously ranked higher in Michaela's world view than humans. Having seen some of the things humans were capable of, Elena couldn't disagree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/animals-obviously-ranked-higher-in-michaela-s-world-view-than-humans/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [I don't think many people would disagree that the world is fractured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/i-don-t-think-many-people-would-disagree-that-the-world-is-fractured/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Even if somebody disagrees with you, their life is still valuable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/even-if-somebody-disagrees-with-you-their-life-is-still-valuable/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) [Browse all 1,116 Disagree quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagree/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Stupid people surround themselves with smart people. 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