--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It occurred to me that nothing is more…" description: "\"It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than opinion when opinion is interesting, so I devised a method of cleaning off the page opposite th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg" --- # It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than… ![“It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than opinion when opinion is interesting, so I devised a method of cleaning off the page opposite the editorial, which became the most important in America and thereon I decided to print opinions, ignoring facts.” quote by Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg) > “It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than opinion when opinion is interesting, so I devised a method of cleaning off the page opposite the editorial, which became the most important in America and thereon I decided to print opinions, ignoring facts.” [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opinion pieces can be more compelling than facts, leading to a focus on subjective commentary over objective reporting. **In simple terms:** Opinion can be more engaging than facts. Key Takeaway Consider the impact of opinion‑driven media. Themes media opinion truth journalism Mood reflective critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - newspaper editorials - online comment sections - political debates Key Concepts subjectivity public discourse information overload Questions to Reflect On - When should facts dominate over opinion? - How does opinion shape public perception? A Different Perspective Risk of spreading misinformation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) ## Related quotes > [Lies are attempts to hide the truth by willfully denying facts. Fiction, on the other hand, is an attempt to reveal the truth by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/lies-are-attempts-to-hide-the-truth-by-willfully-denying-facts/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You see, faith means listening to your heart, not just your heard. It's not about ignoring facts; it's about being willing to see around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-miller/you-see-faith-means-listening-to-your-heart-not-just-your-heard-it-s/) [Kirsten Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-miller/) > [Ignoring facts does not make them go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-tarkenton/ignoring-facts-does-not-make-them-go-away/) [Fran Tarkenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-tarkenton/) > [Practical politics consists in ignoring facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/practical-politics-consists-in-ignoring-facts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sick of watching 'Blue Lives Matter' supporters idly stand by any police officer simply because he wears blue, ignoring the facts that should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seph-lawless/i-m-sick-of-watching-blue-lives-matter-supporters-idly-stand-by-any/) [Seph Lawless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seph-lawless/) > [In my first year or so at the 'Post,' I began to write with some frequency on the least important issues - so-called light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-graham/in-my-first-year-or-so-at-the-post-i-began-to-write-with-some/) [Katharine Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-graham/) > [Someone said to me that we have to encourage more young women to want top-level editing jobs. I think that will happen naturally as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-friedman/someone-said-to-me-that-we-have-to-encourage-more-young-women-to-want/) [Ann Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-friedman/) > [I think we need editorial oversight now more than ever. Anything we can do to help newspapers find new ways of expression that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-think-we-need-editorial-oversight-now-more-than-ever-anything-we/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [If you give a little credit to the concept of the artist, I think you ought to indulge excesses a bit, because that reflects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/if-you-give-a-little-credit-to-the-concept-of-the-artist-i-think-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [ Broadly speaking, in the past few years, we've more than doubled the editorial staff \[in Mother Jones\], as part of ramping up daily operations… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-jeffery/broadly-speaking-in-the-past-few-years-we-ve-more-than-doubled-the/) [Clara Jeffery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-jeffery/) > [Vanity Fair has but two major articles in its editorial creed: first, to believe in the progress and promise of American life, and, second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-crowninshield/vanity-fair-has-but-two-major-articles-in-its-editorial-creed-first/) [Frank Crowninshield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-crowninshield/) > [It is beginning to be doubtful whether Parliament and Congress sit in Westminster and Washington, or in the editorial rooms of the leading journals,--so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-is-beginning-to-be-doubtful-whether-parliament-and-congress-sit-in/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [I do love editorials - youre free to do whatever you want and portray a different character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacquelyn-jablonski/i-do-love-editorials-youre-free-to-do-whatever-you-want-and-portray-a/) [Jacquelyn Jablonski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacquelyn-jablonski/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The media is tremendously important for all governments that are able to communicate through the it. It doesn't mean there is a balance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/the-media-is-tremendously-important-for-all-governments-that-are-able/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) ## More by Herbert Bayard Swope > [Don't forget that the only two things people read in a story are the first and last sentences. Give them blood in the eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/don-t-forget-that-the-only-two-things-people-read-in-a-story-are-the/) [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) > [I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure - which is: Try to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/i-cannot-give-you-the-formula-for-success-but-i-can-give-you-the/) [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) > [The secret of a successful newspaper is to take one story each day and bang the hell out of it. Give the public what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/the-secret-of-a-successful-newspaper-is-to-take-one-story-each-day/) [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) > [The first duty of a newspaper is to be accurate. If it be accurate, it follows that it is fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/the-first-duty-of-a-newspaper-is-to-be-accurate-if-it-be-accurate-it/) [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) > [Formula for failure: Try to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/formula-for-failure-try-to-please-everybody/) [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) > [“I can't give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/i-can-t-give-you-a-sure-fire-formula-for-success-but-i-can-give-you-a/) [Herbert Bayard Swope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) [Explore all 7 Herbert Bayard Swope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than opinion when opinion is interesting, so I devised a method of cleaning off the page opposite the editorial, which became the most important in America and thereon I decided to print opinions, ignoring facts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herbert Bayard Swope" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-interesting-than-opinion-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-interesting-than-opinion-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc2/herbert-bayard-swope-51692_america_it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-i_858634.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than opinion when opinion is interesting, so I devised a…” — Herbert Bayard Swope", "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": "Herbert Bayard Swope", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-bayard-swope/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It occurred to me that nothing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-interesting-than-opinion-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-bayard-swope/it-occurred-to-me-that-nothing-is-more-interesting-than-opinion-when/#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 } } ] } ```