---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's very hard in our adversarial society…"
description: "\"It's very hard in our adversarial society to find a third view. Take journalism, where everything is always presented as one person against another: \"N..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png"
---

#  It's very hard in our adversarial society to find a third…

![“It's very hard in our adversarial society to find a third view. Take journalism, where everything is always presented as one person against another: &quot;Now we're going to hear the opposing view.&quot; There is never a third view.” quote by James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png)

> “It's very hard in our adversarial society to find a third view. Take journalism, where everything is always presented as one person against another: "Now we're going to hear the opposing view." There is never a third view.”

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Adversarial framing limits perspectives; seeking a third viewpoint offers deeper insight.

**In simple terms:** Find a neutral third view.

Key Takeaway

Encourage balanced discourse.

Themes

media critical thinking dialogue

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

- News reporting
- debate forums
- academic research

Key Concepts

Perspective taking neutral analysis

Questions to Reflect On

- How to foster non‑binary discussions?
- What benefits arise from a third perspective?

A Different Perspective

Third view may be hard to identify.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Opposing views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposing-views/)

## Related quotes

> [Toleration of people who differ in convictions and habits requires a residual awareness of the complexity of truth and the possibility of opposing view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/toleration-of-people-who-differ-in-convictions-and-habits-requires-a/)

[Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/)

> [If you go to Cass Sunstein, what net neutrality means is now if you go to FoxNews.com, you will have Arianna Huffington, a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/if-you-go-to-cass-sunstein-what-net-neutrality-means-is-now-if-you-go/)

[Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/)

> [Do you think when two representatives holding diametrically opposing views get together and shake hands, the contradictions between our systems will simply melt away?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/do-you-think-when-two-representatives-holding-diametrically-opposing/)

[Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/)

> [The arts are tremendously powerful in bringing people with opposing views together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-feinstein/the-arts-are-tremendously-powerful-in-bringing-people-with-opposing/)

[Michael Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-feinstein/)

> [It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of Courage-to move in the opposite direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/it-takes-a-touch-of-genius-and-a-lot-of-courage-to-move-in-the/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [It is not faith per se that creates the problem; it is conviction, the notion that one cannot be wrong, that opposing views are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/it-is-not-faith-per-se-that-creates-the-problem-it-is-conviction-the/)

[Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/)

> [Arguing, after all, is less about seeking truth than about overcoming opposing views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-begley/arguing-after-all-is-less-about-seeking-truth-than-about-overcoming/)

[Sharon Begley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-begley/)

> [I believe that one of the best ways of getting at truth is reflecting with others who have opposing views and who share your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-believe-that-one-of-the-best-ways-of-getting-at-truth-is-reflecting/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [If this is how science operates, by silencing those who express opposing views rather than by debating with them, then science is dead and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/if-this-is-how-science-operates-by-silencing-those-who-express/)

[Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/)

> [Although one never really knows what one's associates think of one deep down, I believe I was easy to work with, even though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/although-one-never-really-knows-what-one-s-associates-think-of-one/)

[Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/)

> [The journalistic code of ethics governing the broadcasts requires that opposing views be presented, and that journalists' personal opinions or judgments be left out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/the-journalistic-code-of-ethics-governing-the-broadcasts-requires/)

[Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/)

> [“An artist is a bloke who can hold two fundamentally opposing views and still function:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/an-artist-is-a-bloke-who-can-hold-two-fundamentally-opposing-views/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [I have this sort of heuristic view that journalism, we possibly offer hope because the world is clearly run by total nincompoops more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-hersh/i-have-this-sort-of-heuristic-view-that-journalism-we-possibly-offer/)

[Seymour Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-hersh/)

> [My view of journalism is that it needs to be independent but it's not independent when someone is paying the bills for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sunde/my-view-of-journalism-is-that-it-needs-to-be-independent-but-it-s-not/)

[Peter Sunde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sunde/)

> [When I spend a lot of time reading, discussing, or thinking about an area, I'll often really appreciate why a strong viewpoint is true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lonsdale/when-i-spend-a-lot-of-time-reading-discussing-or-thinking-about-an/)

[Joe Lonsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lonsdale/)

## More by James Hillman

> [“Each life is formed by its unique image, an image that is the essence of that life and calls it to a destiny. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/each-life-is-formed-by-its-unique-image-an-image-that-is-the-essence/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Fear is a huge thing for older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/fear-is-a-huge-thing-for-older-people/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [It's a terrible cruelty of predatory capitalism: both parents now have to work. A family has to have two incomes in order to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-a-terrible-cruelty-of-predatory-capitalism-both-parents-now-have/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [You know, people come to therapy really for a blessing. Not so much to fix what's broken, but to get what's broken blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/you-know-people-come-to-therapy-really-for-a-blessing-not-so-much-to/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Until the culture recognizes the legitimacy of growing down, each person in the culture struggles blindly to make sense of the darkness that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/until-the-culture-recognizes-the-legitimacy-of-growing-down-each/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [ “The first way has been excellently presented by David Holt in his lecture on “Jung and Marx.” \[1\] There Holt shows that Jung imagined his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-first-way-has-been-excellently-presented-by-david-holt-in-his/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [I'm the result of upbringing, class, race, gender, social prejudices, and economics. So I'm a victim again. A result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-the-result-of-upbringing-class-race-gender-social-prejudices-and/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [There is more in a human life than our theories of it allow. Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/there-is-more-in-a-human-life-than-our-theories-of-it-allow-sooner-or/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Depression opens the door to beauty of some kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/depression-opens-the-door-to-beauty-of-some-kind/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [The idea of death robs inquiry of its passionate vitality and empties our efforts of their purpose by coming to one predestined conclusion, death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-idea-of-death-robs-inquiry-of-its-passionate-vitality-and-empties/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [I'm in favor of destruction, aggression, hating things. Not bearing things anymore. We think the breakdown comes because our life is in bad shape.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-in-favor-of-destruction-aggression-hating-things-not-bearing/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [In the past, friendship was a huge thing. But it's hard for us to think of friendship as a calling, because it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/in-the-past-friendship-was-a-huge-thing-but-it-s-hard-for-us-to-think/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Psychotherapy theory turns it all on you: you are the one who is wrong. If a kid is having trouble or is discouraged, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/psychotherapy-theory-turns-it-all-on-you-you-are-the-one-who-is-wrong/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [The self divided is precisely where the self is authentically located. . . We all have identity crises because a single identity is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-self-divided-is-precisely-where-the-self-is-authentically-located/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

> [Love alone is not enough. Without imagination, love stales into sentiment, duty, boredom. Relationships fail not because we have stopped loving but because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/love-alone-is-not-enough-without-imagination-love-stales-into/)

[James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

[Explore all 171 James Hillman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/)

## More Hard quotes

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/)

[Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/)

> [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/)

[Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/)

Out Spoken

> [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/)

[Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/)

> [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/)

> [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/)

[Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/)

> [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/)

[Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/)

> [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/)

[Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/)

> [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/)

[Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/)

> [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/)

[Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/)

[An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/)

> [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/)

[Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/)

Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's very hard in our adversarial society to find a third view. Take journalism, where everything is always presented as one person against another: \"Now we're going to hear the opposing view.\" There is never a third view.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Hillman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-society-to-find-a-third-view-take/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Hard"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-society-to-find-a-third-view-take/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/james-hillman-2336_hard_it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-societ_916578.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's very hard in our adversarial society to find a third view. Take journalism, where everything is always…” — James Hillman",
                "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": "James Hillman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's very hard in our adversarial...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-society-to-find-a-third-view-take/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-very-hard-in-our-adversarial-society-to-find-a-third-view-take/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
