--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A person possessed with an idea cannot be…" description: "\"A person possessed with an idea cannot be reasoned with.\" — James Anthony Froude" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/497/james-anthony-froude-4052_person_a-person-possessed-with-an-idea-cannot-b_344893.png" --- # A person possessed with an idea cannot be reasoned with. ![“A person possessed with an idea cannot be reasoned with.” quote by James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/497/james-anthony-froude-4052_person_a-person-possessed-with-an-idea-cannot-b_344893.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/497/james-anthony-froude-4052_person_a-person-possessed-with-an-idea-cannot-b_344893.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/497/james-anthony-froude-4052_person_a-person-possessed-with-an-idea-cannot-b_344893.png) > “A person possessed with an idea cannot be reasoned with.” [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas that dominate a person make rational discussion impossible. **In simple terms:** Strong ideas block reasoned debate. Key Takeaway Recognize when ideas become dogma. Themes ideas reason dialogue Mood critical analytical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - political discourse - team meetings - education Key Concepts cognitive rigidity persuasion tactics Questions to Reflect On - When have you faced an unreasoning idea? - How can you open dialogue with a dogmatic person? A Different Perspective May underestimate the power of compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idea Reasoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-reasoned-3196951/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Person Possessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-possessed-774831/) [Possessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessed/) [Possessed Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessed-idea-469355/) ## Related quotes > [Photographs objectify: they turn an event or a person into something that can be possessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/photographs-objectify-they-turn-an-event-or-a-person-into-something/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“You know what can make a person possessed, Sylvie? It's not Satan or Lucifer or any of that nonsense. Do you know what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searles/you-know-what-can-make-a-person-possessed-sylvie-it-s-not-satan-or/) [John Searles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searles/) > [The first - the most obvious test of a true social entrepreneur - is are they possessed, really possessed by an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-drayton/the-first-the-most-obvious-test-of-a-true-social-entrepreneur-is-are/) [Bill Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-drayton/) > [“...the exorcist should not believe too readily that a person is possessed by an evil spirit; but he aught to ascertain by the signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/the-exorcist-should-not-believe-too-readily-that-a-person-is/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [We cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads,--and then we can hardly see anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-cannot-see-anything-until-we-are-possessed-with-the-idea-of-it/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The artist should have a powerful will. He should be powerfully possessed by one idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/the-artist-should-have-a-powerful-will-he-should-be-powerfully/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [We do not possess an 'ego.' We are possessed by the idea of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/we-do-not-possess-an-ego-we-are-possessed-by-the-idea-of-one/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [“The first - the most obvious (test of a true social entrepreneur) - is are they possessed, really possessed by an idea... 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You simply can't explain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/there-is-an-indefinable-quality-possessed-by-some-artists-you-simply/) [Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/) > [The masses are still ungrateful or ignorant. They prefer murder, poisonings, and crimes generally to a literature possessed of style and feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/the-masses-are-still-ungrateful-or-ignorant-they-prefer-murder/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) [Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) ## More by James Anthony Froude > [No person is ever good for much, that hasn't been swept off their feet by enthusiasm between ages twenty and thirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/no-person-is-ever-good-for-much-that-hasn-t-been-swept-off-their-feet/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [We enter the world alone, we leave the world alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/we-enter-the-world-alone-we-leave-the-world-alone/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Mistakes are often the best teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/mistakes-are-often-the-best-teachers/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [High original genius is always ridiculed on its first appearance; most of all by those who have won themselves the highest reputation in working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/high-original-genius-is-always-ridiculed-on-its-first-appearance-most/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Look not to have your sepulchre built in after ages hy the same foolish hands which still ever destroy the living prophet. 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In the old man, Nature has fulfilled her work; she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/beautiful-is-old-age-beautiful-as-the-slow-dropping-mellow-autumn-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The soul of man is not a thing which comes and goes, is builded and decays like the elemental frame in which it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-soul-of-man-is-not-a-thing-which-comes-and-goes-is-builded-and/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The war of good and evil is mightiest in mightiest souls, and even in the darkest time the heart will maintain its right against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-war-of-good-and-evil-is-mightiest-in-mightiest-souls-and-even-in/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Human improvement is from within outward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/human-improvement-is-from-within-outward/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The secret of a person's nature lies in their religion and what they really believes about the world and their place in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-secret-of-a-person-s-nature-lies-in-their-religion-and-what-they/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Men think to mend their condition by a change of circumstances. They might as well hope to escape from their shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/men-think-to-mend-their-condition-by-a-change-of-circumstances-they/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [There are epidemics of nobleness as well as epidemics of disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/there-are-epidemics-of-nobleness-as-well-as-epidemics-of-disease/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) [Explore all 117 James Anthony Froude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) ## More Person quotes > [“Always resemble yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-white/always-resemble-yourself/) [Cynthia White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-white/) > [“They're threatened by you,' she said. 'You chose to do something they'd never have the gumption to choose for themselves. 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