--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For having lived long, I have experienced…" description: "\"For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png" --- # For having lived long, I have experienced many instances… ![“For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png) > “For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges that new evidence can overturn even strongly held beliefs, especially on important matters. **In simple terms:** Changing your mind is okay when you learn more. Key Takeaway Be open to revising opinions. Themes humility learning critical thinking Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political debate - personal relationships - scientific research - ethical decisions Key Concepts epistemology cognitive flexibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify new information before changing a view? - When is it wise to hold onto a belief despite new data? A Different Perspective New information may be scarce or biased, limiting revision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-opinions-724199/) [Consideration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consideration/) [Consideration Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consideration-change-4490459/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Fuller Consideration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuller-consideration-4490458/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Experienced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-experienced-4490457/) [Opinions Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions-important-829036/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) ## Related quotes > [“by better information or fuller consideration to change opinions…which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-stewart/by-better-information-or-fuller-consideration-to-change-opinions/) [David O. Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-stewart/) > [The passive aggressive arguer comes armed with tricky tactics. They cannot take the risk that they might be wrong: their self-esteem is too intertwined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-passive-aggressive-arguer-comes-armed-with-tricky-tactics-they/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I listen to certain opinions because those are important to me. I am a Leo, so I very much have my feet on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riccardo-tisci/i-listen-to-certain-opinions-because-those-are-important-to-me-i-am-a/) [Riccardo Tisci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riccardo-tisci/) > [I love that I can stay connected with my fans and be able to tell them what's going on - their opinions are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/i-love-that-i-can-stay-connected-with-my-fans-and-be-able-to-tell/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [You don't pay any attention to anything anyone else says, no opinions. The important thing is to explode with a story, to emotionalize a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-don-t-pay-any-attention-to-anything-anyone-else-says-no-opinions/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Perhaps the greatest mistake we can make, which causes loss of self-respect, is making the opinions of others more important than our own opinion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/perhaps-the-greatest-mistake-we-can-make-which-causes-loss-of-self/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Life is too short to waste any amount of time on wondering what other people think about you. In the first place, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/life-is-too-short-to-waste-any-amount-of-time-on-wondering-what-other/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/change-your-opinions-keep-to-your-principles-change-your-leaves-keep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [There are two kinds of fools: those who can't change their opinions and those who won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/there-are-two-kinds-of-fools-those-who-can-t-change-their-opinions/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“Wallets can establish connections and change opinions. Things that fall apart can be glued back by money with astonishing alacrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/wallets-can-establish-connections-and-change-opinions-things-that/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [A change of opinions is almost unknown in an elderly military man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-change-of-opinions-is-almost-unknown-in-an-elderly-military-man/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“Stories have the power to make people feel. To give a shit. To change their opinions. To change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/stories-have-the-power-to-make-people-feel-to-give-a-shit-to-change/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [We change our opinions of ourselves so often. What the outside world thinks is only a small part of our image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/we-change-our-opinions-of-ourselves-so-often-what-the-outside-world/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [“You can’t change the opinions of small-minded people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-grover-swank/you-can-t-change-the-opinions-of-small-minded-people/) [Denise Grover Swank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-grover-swank/) > [I change my opinions often, but not my way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/i-change-my-opinions-often-but-not-my-way-of-thinking/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced-many-instances-of-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced-many-instances-of-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd9/benjamin-franklin-65_change_for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced_2957876.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller…” — Benjamin Franklin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For having lived long, I have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced-many-instances-of-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/for-having-lived-long-i-have-experienced-many-instances-of-being/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```