--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why on earth should we be at each other's…" description: "\"Why on earth should we be at each other's throats? Why do people insist on defending their ideas and opinions with such ferocity, as if defending honou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/j-g-farrell-2-79947_earth_why-on-earth-should-we-be-at-each-other_115710.jpg" --- # Why on earth should we be at each other's throats? Why do… ![“Why on earth should we be at each other's throats? Why do people insist on defending their ideas and opinions with such ferocity, as if defending honour itself? What could be easier to change than an idea?” quote by J. G. Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/j-g-farrell-2-79947_earth_why-on-earth-should-we-be-at-each-other_115710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/j-g-farrell-2-79947_earth_why-on-earth-should-we-be-at-each-other_115710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/j-g-farrell-2-79947_earth_why-on-earth-should-we-be-at-each-other_115710.jpg) > “Why on earth should we be at each other's throats? Why do people insist on defending their ideas and opinions with such ferocity, as if defending honour itself? What could be easier to change than an idea?” J. G. Farrell ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of aggressive defense of ideas, suggesting that ideas are mutable and should be debated without hostility. **In simple terms:** Why fight over opinions when ideas can change easily? Key Takeaway Ideas should be discussed, not defended as personal honor. Themes dialogue open‑mindedness intellectual humility conflict Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical observation When to use this quote - team brainstorming sessions - online political discussions - academic debates Key Concepts cognitive flexibility social dynamics Practical Applications - encourage curiosity‑based questioning - set ground rules for respectful discourse Questions to Reflect On - What makes you feel compelled to defend a belief? - How can you separate ideas from personal identity? A Different Perspective Strong emotions can make ideas feel tied to identity, making calm discussion difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Ferocity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferocity/) [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“Why do people insist on defending their ideas and opinions with such ferocity, as if defending honour itself? What could be easier to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-farrell/why-do-people-insist-on-defending-their-ideas-and-opinions-with-such/) [J.G. Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-farrell/) > [“Yet the point that JFK missed—and that almost everyone else has gone on to miss—is that much of this journalism was devoted to upholding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/yet-the-point-that-jfk-missed-and-that-almost-everyone-else-has-gone/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I am much more interested in defending my ideas than defending my identities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-am-much-more-interested-in-defending-my-ideas-than-defending-my/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [It makes me angry when people insist that I have a responsibility to do what they think I should do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-townshend/it-makes-me-angry-when-people-insist-that-i-have-a-responsibility-to/) [Pete Townshend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-townshend/) > [Stupidity is what we all have in common as human beings, but some people insist that improving it is their entitlement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-edochie/stupidity-is-what-we-all-have-in-common-as-human-beings-but-some/) Pete Edochie > [When people insist on perfection or nothing, they get nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/when-people-insist-on-perfection-or-nothing-they-get-nothing/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/life-happens-too-fast-for-you-ever-to-think-about-it-if-you-could/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [People must insist on the right to say no, to be alone, to stand out from the herd. Creative artists can say all this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahar-ben-jelloun/people-must-insist-on-the-right-to-say-no-to-be-alone-to-stand-out/) [Tahar Ben Jelloun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahar-ben-jelloun/) > [“People who insist on calculating in detail exactly who had what when it comes to dividing up the bill are despised, not just because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-fox/people-who-insist-on-calculating-in-detail-exactly-who-had-what-when/) [Kate Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-fox/) > [Tragedies are about the depths that call up to certain people and insist that they descend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tragedies-are-about-the-depths-that-call-up-to-certain-people-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People that insist upon drinking and driving, are putting the quart before the hearse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/people-that-insist-upon-drinking-and-driving-are-putting-the-quart/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“I hate it when people insist on wrangling with you about something, then try to stop as soon as they see the arguments are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fine/i-hate-it-when-people-insist-on-wrangling-with-you-about-something/) [Anne Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fine/) > [The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-trouble-with-having-an-open-mind-of-course-is-that-people-will/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The more people insist that feminism has won, the more they blind themselves to its remaining foes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-palmer/the-more-people-insist-that-feminism-has-won-the-more-they-blind/) [Ada Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-palmer/) > [Do you know people who insist they like 'all kinds of music'? That actually means they like no kinds of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/do-you-know-people-who-insist-they-like-all-kinds-of-music-that/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) ## More by J. G. Farrell > [But now the giant heads of Plato and Socrates, each with an expression of penetrating wisdom carved on his white features, surveyed the river…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-farrell-2/but-now-the-giant-heads-of-plato-and-socrates-each-with-an-expression/) J. G. Farrell > [ “\[P\]eople are insubstantial. They never last. All this fuss, it's all fuss about nothing. We're here for a while and then we're gone. People… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-farrell-2/p-eople-are-insubstantial-they-never-last-all-this-fuss-it-s-all-fuss/) J. G. Farrell Explore all 3 J. G. Farrell quotes ## More Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [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/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [What did you do to save the world today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/what-did-you-do-to-save-the-world-today/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) [Browse all 15,455 Earth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why on earth should we be at each other's throats? Why do people insist on defending their ideas and opinions with such ferocity, as if defending honour itself? What could be easier to change than an idea?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. G. 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