--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we describe someone we dislike…" description: "\"“If we describe someone we dislike intensely, a single state-ment usually does it. But if, instead, we are forced to describe the person in great detai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/ellen-j-langer-35884_quote_if-we-describe-someone-we-dislike-intens_1864290.jpg" --- # If we describe someone we dislike intensely, a single… ![“If we describe someone we dislike intensely, a single state-ment usually does it. But if, instead, we are forced to describe the person in great detail, eventually there will be some quality we appreciate.” quote by Ellen J. Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/ellen-j-langer-35884_quote_if-we-describe-someone-we-dislike-intens_1864290.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/ellen-j-langer-35884_quote_if-we-describe-someone-we-dislike-intens_1864290.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/ellen-j-langer-35884_quote_if-we-describe-someone-we-dislike-intens_1864290.jpg) > ““If we describe someone we dislike intensely, a single state-ment usually does it. But if, instead, we are forced to describe the person in great detail, eventually there will be some quality we appreciate.”” [Ellen J. Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense dislike can be reduced by detailed description, revealing hidden appreciation through deeper understanding. **In simple terms:** Describing someone fully can reveal positive traits. Key Takeaway Seek deeper understanding to find common ground. Themes empathy perception self-awareness Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - team building - personal relationships - leadership training Key Concepts cognitive psychology bias reduction Questions to Reflect On - How does detail change our view? - When is superficial judgment sufficient? A Different Perspective May be time‑consuming and not always effective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The people who don't like it tend to dislike it intensely. That's unfortunate, but not surprising when one deliberately goes against audience expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-people-who-don-t-like-it-tend-to-dislike-it-intensely-that-s/) [John M. 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Compromising is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-langer/if-we-examine-what-is-behind-our-desires-we-can-usually-get-what-we/) [Ellen J. Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) > [“Most tasks are not inherently pleasant or unpleasant, but an evaluation imposed on a task carries such a presumption. Virtually any activity can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-langer/most-tasks-are-not-inherently-pleasant-or-unpleasant-but-an/) [Ellen J. Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) > [“The hefty price for accepting information uncritically is that we go through life unaware that what we’ve accepted as impossible may in fact be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-langer/the-hefty-price-for-accepting-information-uncritically-is-that-we-go/) [Ellen J. 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Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) > [“Florida Scott-Maxwell, a Jungian analyst who did not begin her training until midlife, began writing a private notebook at the age of eighty-two, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-j-langer/florida-scott-maxwell-a-jungian-analyst-who-did-not-begin-her/) [Ellen J. Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) [Explore all 13 Ellen J. Langer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-j-langer/) ## More Dislike quotes > [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/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/i-have-an-intense-dislike-of-doctrines-because-you-will-always-end-up/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [I dislike the gym, but I'll chase a tennis ball all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-kuchar/i-dislike-the-gym-but-i-ll-chase-a-tennis-ball-all-day/) [Matt Kuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-kuchar/) > [The ugly truth is it's the spineless parents who parade their undisciplined children around like royalty that make people dislike kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lz-granderson/the-ugly-truth-is-it-s-the-spineless-parents-who-parade-their/) [LZ Granderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lz-granderson/) > [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [What I love about the East End is that there's a great perseverance, determination and courage. 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I went to the Def Jam tour in Manchester in the '80s when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-don-t-dislike-rappers-or-hip-hop-or-people-who-like-it-i-went-to/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [People don't dislike change, they dislike being changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/people-don-t-dislike-change-they-dislike-being-changed/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [At the beginning of anything out of the ordinary, the mass of the people always dislike it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/at-the-beginning-of-anything-out-of-the-ordinary-the-mass-of-the/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [In every state of the Union, Fundamentalists still fight to ban all the science they dislike and prosecute all who teach it. 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