--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Partisanship is our great curse. We too…" description: "\"Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other.\" — James Harvey..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/james-harvey-robinson-24679_assume_partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-r_13751.png" --- # Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume… ![“Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other.” quote by James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/james-harvey-robinson-24679_assume_partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-r_13751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/james-harvey-robinson-24679_assume_partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-r_13751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/james-harvey-robinson-24679_assume_partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-r_13751.png) > “Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other.” [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It warns that binary thinking oversimplifies complex issues, leading to entrenched divisions and a neglect of nuanced perspectives. **In simple terms:** Binary thinking fuels division. Key Takeaway Avoid false dichotomies. Themes political polarization cognitive bias critical thinking social cohesion philosophy of truth Mood thoughtful cautious critical Type observation cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - political debates - policy making - media analysis - conflict resolution - education Key Concepts binary thinking cognitive bias polarization nuance Practical Applications - facilitating nuanced dialogue - designing balanced curricula Questions to Reflect On - How can we recognize false binaries? - What steps foster nuanced understanding? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume/) [Assume Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume-sides-375364/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Partisanship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisanship/) [Partisanship Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisanship-great-375363/) [Readily Assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/readily-assume-375365/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-sides/) ## Related quotes > [It is unwise to readily assume something all the time. Assumptions are almost never correct anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/it-is-unwise-to-readily-assume-something-all-the-time-assumptions-are/) [Isaiah Harden (Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-harden-me/) > [There is no greater hindrance to the progress of thought than an attitude of irritated party-spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/there-is-no-greater-hindrance-to-the-progress-of-thought-than-an/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [I feel genuinely sorry for those who are so blinded by narrow partisanship that they cannot appreciate Limbaugh's energy, intelligence and satiric skill. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-feel-genuinely-sorry-for-those-who-are-so-blinded-by-narrow/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Feminism has nothing to do with partisanship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronee-blakley/feminism-has-nothing-to-do-with-partisanship/) [Ronee Blakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronee-blakley/) > [I know CNN has taken some knocks lately but the fact is, I admire their commitment to covering all sides of the story, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-know-cnn-has-taken-some-knocks-lately-but-the-fact-is-i-admire/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“My commitment is to urge us all toward moderation and good will toward fellow citizens. If we can set aside unworthy emotions that deepen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rasley/my-commitment-is-to-urge-us-all-toward-moderation-and-good-will/) [Jeff Rasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-rasley/) > [“Burke argued that political parties were not, as many people insisted, factions each contending for its own particular advantage, but rather were bodies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-levin/burke-argued-that-political-parties-were-not-as-many-people-insisted/) [Yuval Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-levin/) > [The Congressional Budget Office is a reactionary socialist institution which does not believe in economic growth, does not believe in innovation, and does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/the-congressional-budget-office-is-a-reactionary-socialist/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Look, I don't mind if the President sends a budget which he knows is not going to achieve anything. But when he prefaces his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/look-i-don-t-mind-if-the-president-sends-a-budget-which-he-knows-is/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Ratings are king and the money keeps flowing, and partisanship is so strong today that people rely on a few sources absolutely instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/ratings-are-king-and-the-money-keeps-flowing-and-partisanship-is-so/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Mary Matalin and James Carville have given me more hope when it comes to love and relationships than any romance book or chick flick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-mccain/mary-matalin-and-james-carville-have-given-me-more-hope-when-it-comes/) [Meghan McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-mccain/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Truth and facts have to trump partisanship. There has to be something that's true regardless of what your angle is on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/truth-and-facts-have-to-trump-partisanship-there-has-to-be-something/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [You should govern not by partisanship, but by leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/you-should-govern-not-by-partisanship-but-by-leadership/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) ## More by James Harvey Robinson > [Man has long found solace in good talk to offset bad conduct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/man-has-long-found-solace-in-good-talk-to-offset-bad-conduct/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Speech gave man a unique power to lead a double life, he could say one thing and do another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/speech-gave-man-a-unique-power-to-lead-a-double-life-he-could-say-one/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [With supreme irony, the war to make the world safe for democracy ended by leaving democracy more unsafe in the world than at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/with-supreme-irony-the-war-to-make-the-world-safe-for-democracy-ended/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Each of us is great insofar as we perceive and act on the infinite possibilities which lie undiscovered and unrecognized about us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/each-of-us-is-great-insofar-as-we-perceive-and-act-on-the-infinite/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [To become historically-minded is to be grown-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/to-become-historically-minded-is-to-be-grown-up/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [We are incredibly heedless in the formation of our beliefs, but find ourselves filled with an illicit passion for them when anyone proposes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/we-are-incredibly-heedless-in-the-formation-of-our-beliefs-but-find/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [We continue to think of new things in old ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/we-continue-to-think-of-new-things-in-old-ways/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Curiosity is idle only to those who fail to realize that it may be a very rare and indispensable thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/curiosity-is-idle-only-to-those-who-fail-to-realize-that-it-may-be-a/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Rationalizing is the self-exculpation which occurs when we feel ourselves, or our group, accused of misapprehension or error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/rationalizing-is-the-self-exculpation-which-occurs-when-we-feel/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [We find it hard to believe that other people's thoughts are as silly as our own, but they probably are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/we-find-it-hard-to-believe-that-other-people-s-thoughts-are-as-silly/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [History ... may be regarded as an artificial extension and : broadening of our memories and may be used to overcome the natural bewilderment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/history-may-be-regarded-as-an-artificial-extension-and-broadening-of/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [In its amplest meaning History includes every trace and vestige of everything that man has done or thought since first he appeared on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/in-its-amplest-meaning-history-includes-every-trace-and-vestige-of/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [We are incredibly heedless in the formation of our beliefs, but if someone tries to take them from us, we defend them with almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/we-are-incredibly-heedless-in-the-formation-of-our-beliefs-but-if/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Mere lack of success does not discredit a method, for there are many things that determine and perpetuate our sanctified ways of doing things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/mere-lack-of-success-does-not-discredit-a-method-for-there-are-many/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [Few of us take the pains to study the origin of our cherished convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/few-of-us-take-the-pains-to-study-the-origin-of-our-cherished/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) [Explore all 24 James Harvey Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) ## More Assume quotes > [We only call at ducks when their rear ends are towards us. If I'm looking at you and you call my name, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/we-only-call-at-ducks-when-their-rear-ends-are-towards-us-if-i-m/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [Nobody really knows everything, and they can only assume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/nobody-really-knows-everything-and-they-can-only-assume/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [“I just mean, sometimes two people do something unexpected and then by that simple act alone, it just seems they automatically assume it's now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-amo/i-just-mean-sometimes-two-people-do-something-unexpected-and-then-by/) [Thomas Amo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-amo/) > [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [Is it philosophical, is it quite allowable, to assume without evidence from fossil plants that the family or any of the genera was once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/is-it-philosophical-is-it-quite-allowable-to-assume-without-evidence/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [We should not assume; however, that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/we-should-not-assume-however-that-just-because-something-is/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [I think a lot of fans immediately go, 'ugggh' when they hear that someone is doing a prequel or a remake, they sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/i-think-a-lot-of-fans-immediately-go-ugggh-when-they-hear-that/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [You can never assume that something is going to do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/you-can-never-assume-that-something-is-going-to-do-well/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [What we assume, what we have never clearly thought out, controls us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-t-kelsey/what-we-assume-what-we-have-never-clearly-thought-out-controls-us/) [Morton T. Kelsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-t-kelsey/) > [Do not always assume the other fellow has intelligence equal to yours. He may have more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-thomas/do-not-always-assume-the-other-fellow-has-intelligence-equal-to-yours/) [Terry-Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-thomas/) > [Americans assume all British people have at least one servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/americans-assume-all-british-people-have-at-least-one-servant/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [ If \[Barack\] Obama or the boss or the newspapers or anyone else tells you they're doing this, that, or the other thing, dismiss it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-barack-obama-or-the-boss-or-the-newspapers-or-anyone-else-tells/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [How ballsy it was to just assume you know, with one glance, the things another person could live without. As if it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/how-ballsy-it-was-to-just-assume-you-know-with-one-glance-the-things/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Browse all 542 Assume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Partisanship is our great curse. 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