--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People learn racism through dialogue…" description: "\"People learn racism through dialogue. Somebody tells them about it. So if you can learn it through dialogue, you can also unlearn it through dialogue.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/670/daryl-davis-7572_about_people-learn-racism-through-dialogue-som_2076898.jpg" --- # People learn racism through dialogue. Somebody tells them… ![“People learn racism through dialogue. Somebody tells them about it. So if you can learn it through dialogue, you can also unlearn it through dialogue.” quote by Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/670/daryl-davis-7572_about_people-learn-racism-through-dialogue-som_2076898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/670/daryl-davis-7572_about_people-learn-racism-through-dialogue-som_2076898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/670/daryl-davis-7572_about_people-learn-racism-through-dialogue-som_2076898.jpg) > “People learn racism through dialogue. Somebody tells them about it. So if you can learn it through dialogue, you can also unlearn it through dialogue.” [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Racism is taught via conversation, so conversation can also dismantle it. **In simple terms:** Dialogue can teach and unteach racism. Key Takeaway Use open dialogue to challenge prejudice. Themes racism dialogue education Mood reflective hopeful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - community workshops - family talks Key Concepts social learning bias correction Questions to Reflect On - How can dialogue be structured to confront hidden biases? - What role do institutions play in supporting unlearning? A Different Perspective Unlearning may need deeper systemic change beyond talk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [Each and every one of us is born with a clean heart. Our babies know nothing about hate or racism. But soon they begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/each-and-every-one-of-us-is-born-with-a-clean-heart-our-babies-know/) [Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/) > [People don't like preaching, but discussion, presenting a case, and that's important. Therefore, I think we need to learn to dialogue much more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/people-don-t-like-preaching-but-discussion-presenting-a-case-and-that/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [When I was a young fellow, I used to learn the dialogue backwards. The point is that in a conversation between two people, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-crowe/when-i-was-a-young-fellow-i-used-to-learn-the-dialogue-backwards-the/) [Russell Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-crowe/) > [My line-learning is very special. I like to learn the dialogue of the whole film before I arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-kingsley/my-line-learning-is-very-special-i-like-to-learn-the-dialogue-of-the/) [Ben Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-kingsley/) > [We, women of one country, Will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/we-women-of-one-country-will-be-too-tender-of-those-of-another/) [Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/) > [Meditation - Before you learn how to meditate, you must unlearn what you think meditation might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/meditation-before-you-learn-how-to-meditate-you-must-unlearn-what-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [I tell students, 'If you are learning from YouTube I almost don't want to teach you because what you learn from YouTube it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiri-te-kanawa/i-tell-students-if-you-are-learning-from-youtube-i-almost-don-t-want/) [Kiri Te Kanawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiri-te-kanawa/) > [The mind is slow to unlearn what it learnt early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/the-mind-is-slow-to-unlearn-what-it-learnt-early/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [To Unlearn is as hard as to Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/to-unlearn-is-as-hard-as-to-learn/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“the illiterate of the future will not be those that cannot read or write. Rather, they will be those that cannot learn, unlearn and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-woodward/the-illiterate-of-the-future-will-not-be-those-that-cannot-read-or/) [J.R. Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-woodward/) > [“I shall unlearn feeling, unlearn my gift. That is greater and harder than what passes there for life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/i-shall-unlearn-feeling-unlearn-my-gift-that-is-greater-and-harder/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [They who can no longer unlearn have lost the power to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/they-who-can-no-longer-unlearn-have-lost-the-power-to-learn/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [Such labour'd nothings, in so strange a style, Amaze th' unlearn'd and make the learned smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/such-labour-d-nothings-in-so-strange-a-style-amaze-th-unlearn-d-and/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“As you unlearn the lies that were unconsciously coded when you were a child and free yourself from the fears and emotions that held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-f-martin/as-you-unlearn-the-lies-that-were-unconsciously-coded-when-you-were-a/) [Brian F. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-f-martin/) > [Any change of government which has to be introduced should be one which men, starting from their existing constitutions, will be both willing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/any-change-of-government-which-has-to-be-introduced-should-be-one/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## More by Daryl Davis > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [They've changed the name from white supremacy to white separatists, to white nationalists, to alt-right. It's the same thing. A rose by any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/they-ve-changed-the-name-from-white-supremacy-to-white-separatists-to/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I have been attacked and mistreated for my skin colour since I was a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-been-attacked-and-mistreated-for-my-skin-colour-since-i-was-a/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you have an adversary, an opponent with an opposing point of view, give that person a platform, regardless of how extreme it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-have-an-adversary-an-opponent-with-an-opposing-point-of-view/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [At the end, ignorance is the source of biases. If we cure that, there's nothing to fear and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/at-the-end-ignorance-is-the-source-of-biases-if-we-cure-that-there-s/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [There's a difference between being ignorant and being stupid... For me, an ignorant person is someone who makes the wrong decision or a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/there-s-a-difference-between-being-ignorant-and-being-stupid-for-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/find-someone-who-disagrees-and-invite-them-to-your-table/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Our society can only become one of two things, it can be become what we let it become or it can become what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/our-society-can-only-become-one-of-two-things-it-can-be-become-what/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you were to talk to somebody from Georgia you would understand what he's saying, he wouldn't sound like your next-door neighbor in Montana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-were-to-talk-to-somebody-from-georgia-you-would-understand/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Every racist that I know - and I know a lot of racists - every racist that I know voted for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/every-racist-that-i-know-and-i-know-a-lot-of-racists-every-racist/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [It was incomprehensible to me that someone who had never seen me before, someone who knew absolutely nothing about me, would want to inflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/it-was-incomprehensible-to-me-that-someone-who-had-never-seen-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [The most important thing I learned is that when you are actively learning about someone else you are passively teaching them about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-is-that-when-you-are-actively/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [You're not going to beat the meanness out of a mean dog. You start beating a mean dog, it's gonna become more mean. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/you-re-not-going-to-beat-the-meanness-out-of-a-mean-dog-you-start/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [He spoke nine languages. You know some people can just pick up an instrument and play. My father was like that with languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/he-spoke-nine-languages-you-know-some-people-can-just-pick-up-an/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Music absolutely played a massive role in bridging many gaps in the racial divides I would encounter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/music-absolutely-played-a-massive-role-in-bridging-many-gaps-in-the/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) [Explore all 90 Daryl Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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