Baggage Quote by Barbara Tuchman
“Policy is formed by preconceptions, by long implanted biases. When information is relayed to policy-makers, they respond in terms of what is already inside their heads and consequently make policy less to fit the facts than to fit the notions and intentions formed out of the mental baggage that has accumulated in their minds since childhood.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The March of Folly by Barbara Tuchman, 1984
Policy decisions are often shaped by entrenched biases and early‑formed mental models, causing leaders to fit facts to preconceptions rather than the reverse.
In simple terms: Biases shape policy more than facts.
Key Takeaway
Challenge and assumptions before forming policy.
Themes
bias
policy
cognition
history
Mood
analytical
cautious
Type
historical
educational
When to use this quote
- government planning
- legislative drafting
- public health response
- educational reform
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
decision making
institutional inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- What biases might you hold unknowingly?
- How can institutions guard against pre‑existing notions?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated beliefs is difficult and slow.
![“The clergy [in the 14th century] on the whole were probably no more lecherous or greedy or untrustworthy than other men, but because they were supposed to be better or nearer to God than other men, their failings attracted more attention.” quote by Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/558/barbara-tuchman-3945_attention_the-clergy-in-the-14th-century-on-the-wh_159681.jpg)
