--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When like-minded people argue, all they…" description: "\"“When like-minded people argue, all they do is provide each other with new reasons supporting already held beliefs. Just like solitary reasoners, group..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg" --- # When like-minded people argue, all they do is provide each… ![“When like-minded people argue, all they do is provide each other with new reasons supporting already held beliefs. Just like solitary reasoners, groups of like-minded people can be victims of belief polarization, overconfidence, and belief perseverance.” quote by Hugo Mercier & Dan Sperber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg) > ““When like-minded people argue, all they do is provide each other with new reasons supporting already held beliefs. Just like solitary reasoners, groups of like-minded people can be victims of belief polarization, overconfidence, and belief perseverance.”” Hugo Mercier & Dan Sperber ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Like‑minded groups reinforce existing beliefs, leading to polarization, overconfidence, and stubbornness. **In simple terms:** Echo chambers amplify bias. Key Takeaway Seek diverse perspectives. Themes bias polarization groupthink confidence beliefs Mood thoughtful concerned optimistic Type Bias:1 Faith:0 Groupthink:1 Rationality:0 Minded People:0 People Argue:0 Belief Perseverance:1 Solitary Reasoners:0 Reasoners Groups:0 When to use this quote - debates - cross‑ideology dialogues - media literacy Key Concepts social cognition information silos critical discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can you challenge your own beliefs? - What sources broaden your view? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched views is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Groupthink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groupthink/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) ## Related quotes > [When we have learned something, there's this thing called belief perseverance. Having learned something, we tend to cling to that belief, even in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/when-we-have-learned-something-there-s-this-thing-called-belief/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [“People argue between Pele or Maradona. Di Stéfano is the best, much more complete.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/people-argue-between-pele-or-maradona-di-st-fano-is-the-best-much/) [Pelé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [The best movies have one sentence that they're exploring, a thesis, something that people can argue about over dinner afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt/the-best-movies-have-one-sentence-that-they-re-exploring-a-thesis/) [Helen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt/) > [People here argue about religion interminably, but it appears that they are competing at the same time to see who can be the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-here-argue-about-religion-interminably-but-it-appears-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most people argue over who's right, not about what the truth is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/most-people-argue-over-who-s-right-not-about-what-the-truth-is/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) > [People would much rather argue their own visions and conceptions about a book than engage in a dialogue with the author, because the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/people-would-much-rather-argue-their-own-visions-and-conceptions/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [The history of philosophy is actually full of people who argue for rather wild and incredible views, and their reputations are based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nozick/the-history-of-philosophy-is-actually-full-of-people-who-argue-for/) [Robert Nozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nozick/) > [People argue themselves out of their pleasures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-morgan/people-argue-themselves-out-of-their-pleasures/) [Jude Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-morgan/) > [Whenever two good people argue over principles, they are both right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/whenever-two-good-people-argue-over-principles-they-are-both-right/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“People who argue whether the glass is half empty or half full are probably not thirsty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/people-who-argue-whether-the-glass-is-half-empty-or-half-full-are/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [I don't shout people down. I argue people down, perhaps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-don-t-shout-people-down-i-argue-people-down-perhaps/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We don't really listen to what the other person is saying. We have gotten used to information being in such a concentrated form all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gimlette/we-don-t-really-listen-to-what-the-other-person-is-saying-we-have/) [John Gimlette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gimlette/) > [Saddam is a war criminal and there are no two people who can argue over this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/saddam-is-a-war-criminal-and-there-are-no-two-people-who-can-argue/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) > [People do not always argue because they misunderstand one another, they argue because they hold different goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-whyte/people-do-not-always-argue-because-they-misunderstand-one-another/) [William H. Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-whyte/) > [“Most people argue over beliefs rather than truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-c-meakin/most-people-argue-over-beliefs-rather-than-truth/) S.C. Meakin ## More Bias quotes > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/fortunately-for-serious-minds-a-bias-recognized-is-a-bias-sterilized/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [I can say this very clearly: I have come into this Congress with an antiwar bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/i-can-say-this-very-clearly-i-have-come-into-this-congress-with-an/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [The legal bias for special protection for women has begun to wreak havoc with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-legal-bias-for-special-protection-for-women-has-begun-to-wreak/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [That's awesome. There's no bias in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-edwards/that-s-awesome-there-s-no-bias-in-the-media/) [Carl Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-edwards/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I'm speaking out against social media bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-speaking-out-against-social-media-bias/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. Human decision making is not so great either. Again to take just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/hundreds-of-studies-confirm-that-human-forecasts-are-flawed-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The stance I took was there is no room for racial bias anywhere in sports. I believe that was basically all I said about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-larkin/the-stance-i-took-was-there-is-no-room-for-racial-bias-anywhere-in/) [Barry Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-larkin/) > [First and foremost, if you want to be a good writer, you need to be a good eater. You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) [Browse all 667 Bias quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When like-minded people argue, all they do is provide each other with new reasons supporting already held beliefs. Just like solitary reasoners, groups of like-minded people can be victims of belief polarization, overconfidence, and belief perseverance.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hugo Mercier & Dan Sperber" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber/when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-do-is-provide-each-other-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bias" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber/when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-do-is-provide-each-other-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f19/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber-24312_bias_when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-d_3234598.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When like-minded people argue, all they do is provide each other with new reasons supporting already held…” — Hugo Mercier & Dan Sperber", "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": "Hugo Mercier & Dan Sperber", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When like-minded people argue, all they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber/when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-do-is-provide-each-other-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-mercier-dan-sperber/when-like-minded-people-argue-all-they-do-is-provide-each-other-with/#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 } } ] } ```