--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is, it's very dangerous to have…" description: "\"The thing is, it's very dangerous to have a fixed idea. A person with a fixed idea will always find some way of convincing himself in the end that he i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/atle-selberg-103232_convincing_the-thing-is-it-s-very-dangerous-to-have_402276.jpg" --- # The thing is, it's very dangerous to have a fixed idea. A… ![“The thing is, it's very dangerous to have a fixed idea. A person with a fixed idea will always find some way of convincing himself in the end that he is right” quote by Atle Selberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/atle-selberg-103232_convincing_the-thing-is-it-s-very-dangerous-to-have_402276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/atle-selberg-103232_convincing_the-thing-is-it-s-very-dangerous-to-have_402276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/atle-selberg-103232_convincing_the-thing-is-it-s-very-dangerous-to-have_402276.jpg) > “The thing is, it's very dangerous to have a fixed idea. A person with a fixed idea will always find some way of convincing himself in the end that he is right” Atle Selberg ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fixed ideas are dangerous; they lead to self‑convincing and closed thinking. **In simple terms:** Rigid beliefs can be harmful. Key Takeaway Stay open‑minded. Themes critical thinking open‑mindedness danger Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debate - personal growth - leadership Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs have you examined? - How do you challenge your assumptions? A Different Perspective Some fixed ideas are necessary for conviction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ## Related quotes > [It is your fixed idea that you must be something or other, that blinds you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/it-is-your-fixed-idea-that-you-must-be-something-or-other-that-blinds/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Dress is the great business of all women, and the fixed idea of some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-karr/dress-is-the-great-business-of-all-women-and-the-fixed-idea-of-some/) [Alphonse Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-karr/) > [I definitely have a firm, fixed idea of what compromise is for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-lang/i-definitely-have-a-firm-fixed-idea-of-what-compromise-is-for-me/) [Jonny Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-lang/) > [A fixed idea ends in madness or heroism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/a-fixed-idea-ends-in-madness-or-heroism/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Guys are leery about putting on something they don't think is them. They have a fixed idea of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bastian/guys-are-leery-about-putting-on-something-they-don-t-think-is-them/) [Michael Bastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bastian/) > [A fixed idea is like the iron rod which sculptors put in their statues. It impales and sustains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolyte-taine/a-fixed-idea-is-like-the-iron-rod-which-sculptors-put-in-their/) [Hippolyte Taine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippolyte-taine/) > [I think it does surprise me a bit when people have a very fixed idea of what I'm like, based upon the work that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-think-it-does-surprise-me-a-bit-when-people-have-a-very-fixed-idea/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [Once a man gets a fixed idea, there's nothing to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/once-a-man-gets-a-fixed-idea-there-s-nothing-to-be-done/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“Once we have the fixed idea “this is me,” then we see everything as a threat or a promise—or something we couldn’t care less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/once-we-have-the-fixed-idea-this-is-me-then-we-see-everything-as-a/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Don't have a fixed idea in your head (that you have to use this or that technique). Use everything you've learned until now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaaki-hatsumi/don-t-have-a-fixed-idea-in-your-head-that-you-have-to-use-this-or/) [Masaaki Hatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaaki-hatsumi/) > [The best way not to move is to follow a fixed idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-pr-vert/the-best-way-not-to-move-is-to-follow-a-fixed-idea/) [Jacques Prévert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-pr-vert/) > [Whether it's from the books or the films, there are some people that will have a very fixed idea in their head. You're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-dancy/whether-it-s-from-the-books-or-the-films-there-are-some-people-that/) [Hugh Dancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-dancy/) > [I've always been an idea person, so I've always been great at having ideas, just not having the resources to make them happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-yee/i-ve-always-been-an-idea-person-so-i-ve-always-been-great-at-having/) [Angela Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-yee/) > [Oh, in France you can't defame an idea, only a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-dukan/oh-in-france-you-can-t-defame-an-idea-only-a-person/) [Pierre Dukan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-dukan/) > [I'm basically the idea person. I'm not physically involved in the production. I don't have the necessary abilities, so I go to the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-m-basically-the-idea-person-i-m-not-physically-involved-in-the/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) ## More by Atle Selberg > [A felicitous but unproved conjecture may be of much more consequence for mathematics than the proof of many a respectable theorem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atle-selberg/a-felicitous-but-unproved-conjecture-may-be-of-much-more-consequence/) Atle Selberg Explore all 2 Atle Selberg quotes ## More Convincing quotes > [How they say that we not fly, how they say that we not working. They just need convincing like Malcom Little fore he converted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/how-they-say-that-we-not-fly-how-they-say-that-we-not-working-they/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [I don't analyze what I'm doing. I've read convincing interpretations of my work, and sometimes I've noticed something that I wasn't aware of, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-don-t-analyze-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-read-convincing-interpretations/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [Ultimately the most challenging thing, always, is to just be convincing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/ultimately-the-most-challenging-thing-always-is-to-just-be-convincing/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [Religious freedom is too sacred a right to be restricted or prohibited in any degree without convincing proof that a legitimate interest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-murphy/religious-freedom-is-too-sacred-a-right-to-be-restricted-or/) [Frank Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-murphy/) > [“Trane's playing is literally the most convincing proof of God's existence I've ever come across.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/trane-s-playing-is-literally-the-most-convincing-proof-of-god-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I knew I shouldn't like him cause I know it's not working, and everybody tells me that, and I convince myself I don't... and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/i-knew-i-shouldn-t-like-him-cause-i-know-it-s-not-working-and/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [You make a movie and it's like convincing people to go on an expedition with you. You think you know where it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ayer/you-make-a-movie-and-it-s-like-convincing-people-to-go-on-an/) [David Ayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ayer/) > [When you work with a good actor, there is this natural rapport and chemistry that develops over time. That chemistry helps your characters come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aamir-khan/when-you-work-with-a-good-actor-there-is-this-natural-rapport-and/) [Aamir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aamir-khan/) > [While testimonies can come as dramatic manifestations, they usually do not. Sometimes people think they need to have an experience like Joseph Smith's vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-f-packer/while-testimonies-can-come-as-dramatic-manifestations-they-usually-do/) [Allan F. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-f-packer/) > [When I learned that aliens really do exist, I wasn't too surprised. But what did shock me when I started investigating extra-terrestrial reports a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/when-i-learned-that-aliens-really-do-exist-i-wasn-t-too-surprised-but/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I've always been very good at convincing people. For instance, if I arrive in an airport and I'm in economy, I can always convince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-ve-always-been-very-good-at-convincing-people-for-instance-if-i/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [Amending the U.S. Constitution, the document most sacred to those who love freedom and liberty, is a delicate endeavor and should be done only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-nelson/amending-the-u-s-constitution-the-document-most-sacred-to-those-who/) [Ben Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-nelson/) > [Jon M. Chu is one of the most creative, convincing humans you'll ever meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/jon-m-chu-is-one-of-the-most-creative-convincing-humans-you-ll-ever/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [One of their major initiatives was getting all officers on Facebook. So the question is, why are these people who are there to train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/one-of-their-major-initiatives-was-getting-all-officers-on-facebook/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [A photograph presents itself not only as a visual representation, but as evidence, more convincing than a painting because of the unimpeachable mechanical means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/a-photograph-presents-itself-not-only-as-a-visual-representation-but/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) Browse all 546 Convincing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing is, it's very dangerous to have a fixed idea. 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