--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want the facts to fit the…" description: "\"We want the facts to fit the preconceptions. When they don't it is easier to ignore the facts than to change the preconceptions.\" — Jessamyn West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/jessamyn-west-12938_change_we-want-the-facts-to-fit-the-preconcepti_3108968.png" --- # We want the facts to fit the preconceptions. When they… ![“We want the facts to fit the preconceptions. When they don't it is easier to ignore the facts than to change the preconceptions.” quote by Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/jessamyn-west-12938_change_we-want-the-facts-to-fit-the-preconcepti_3108968.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/jessamyn-west-12938_change_we-want-the-facts-to-fit-the-preconcepti_3108968.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/jessamyn-west-12938_change_we-want-the-facts-to-fit-the-preconcepti_3108968.png) > “We want the facts to fit the preconceptions. When they don't it is easier to ignore the facts than to change the preconceptions.” [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to distort or dismiss information that conflicts with their existing beliefs. **In simple terms:** We ignore facts that challenge our views. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions before dismissing evidence. Themes cognition bias perception truth Mood reflective critical analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political debate - media consumption - personal relationships - scientific research Key Concepts confirmation bias motivational reasoning Questions to Reflect On - How do you react when evidence contradicts your beliefs? - What steps can you take to remain open‑minded? A Different Perspective Ignoring facts can reinforce misinformation and hinder learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Preconceptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceptions/) ## Related quotes > [We are living in a world where image-making is important, so we ignore the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/we-are-living-in-a-world-where-image-making-is-important-so-we-ignore/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Faith does not ignore the facts, it ignores the power of the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/faith-does-not-ignore-the-facts-it-ignores-the-power-of-the-facts/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [Too many theorists have a tendency to ignore facts that contradict their convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-allais/too-many-theorists-have-a-tendency-to-ignore-facts-that-contradict/) [Maurice Allais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-allais/) > [“Facts" are perceptions that limit us. Our job is to ignore the "facts" and dream our dream, visualize it and it will come!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-anderson/facts-are-perceptions-that-limit-us-our-job-is-to-ignore-the-facts/) Lolly Anderson > [“Our desires seek out supporting reasons and tend to ignore facts and arguments that do not fit in with them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/our-desires-seek-out-supporting-reasons-and-tend-to-ignore-facts-and/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I've learned... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-to-ignore-the-facts-does-not-change-the-facts/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [“People ignore facts which contradict the theory in the mind of the investor. Dis-confirming evidence must be seeked out to beat this theory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-arora/people-ignore-facts-which-contradict-the-theory-in-the-mind-of-the/) [Manoj Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-arora/) > [I don't stand by the understanding of that statement that I will ignore other facts or other experiences because I haven't had them. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-don-t-stand-by-the-understanding-of-that-statement-that-i-will/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [When the facts change, I change my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/when-the-facts-change-i-change-my-mind/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [I've always said to everyone that ever worked for me, if you get too dug in on a position, the facts change, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-paulson/i-ve-always-said-to-everyone-that-ever-worked-for-me-if-you-get-too/) [Henry Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-paulson/) > [I'm not a fan of facts. You see, facts can change, but my opinion will never change, no matter what the facts are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-m-not-a-fan-of-facts-you-see-facts-can-change-but-my-opinion-will/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [“You couldn't argue the facts; you could only change the lens through which you looked at them".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-couldn-t-argue-the-facts-you-could-only-change-the-lens-through/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When the facts change, you change your mind. I know that is a hard concept for people to get sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-the-facts-change-you-change-your-mind-i-know-that-is-a-hard/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [“Knowing your feelings won't change the facts, but knowing the facts can change your feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-chism/knowing-your-feelings-won-t-change-the-facts-but-knowing-the-facts/) Marlene Chism > [Who says history is stagnant? For a historian, facts do not change; it is the way we look at things, our interpretations, that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-says-history-is-stagnant-for-a-historian-facts-do-not-change-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jessamyn West > [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Being consistent meant not departing from convictions already formulated; being a leader meant making other persons accept these convictions. It was a narrow track,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/being-consistent-meant-not-departing-from-convictions-already/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [In their sympathies, children feel nearer animals than adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/in-their-sympathies-children-feel-nearer-animals-than-adults/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [To meet at all, one must open ones eyes to another; and there is no true conversation no matter how many words are spoken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/to-meet-at-all-one-must-open-ones-eyes-to-another-and-there-is-no/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [In their sympathies, children feel nearer animals than adults. They frolic with animals, caress them, share with them feelings neither has words for. Have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/in-their-sympathies-children-feel-nearer-animals-than-adults-they/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [The past is really almost as much a work of the imagination as the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/the-past-is-really-almost-as-much-a-work-of-the-imagination-as-the/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [People who keep journals have life twice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/people-who-keep-journals-have-life-twice/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [Writing is so difficult that I feel that writers, having had their hell on earth, will escape all punishment hereafter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/writing-is-so-difficult-that-i-feel-that-writers-having-had-their/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [We can love an honest rogue, but what is more offensive than a false saint?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/we-can-love-an-honest-rogue-but-what-is-more-offensive-than-a-false/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [I seem to be the only person in the world who doesn't mind being pitied. If you love me, pity me. The human state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-seem-to-be-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-doesn-t-mind-being/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [I am always jumping into the sausage grinder and deciding, even before I’m half ground, that I don’t want to be a sausage after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-am-always-jumping-into-the-sausage-grinder-and-deciding-even-before/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [You make what seems a simple choice: choose a man or a job or a neighborhood- and what you have chosen is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/you-make-what-seems-a-simple-choice-choose-a-man-or-a-job-or-a/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [“Nothing ruins a face so fast as double-dealing. Your face telling one story to the world. Your heart yanking your face to pieces, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/nothing-ruins-a-face-so-fast-as-double-dealing-your-face-telling-one/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [I've done more harm by the falseness of trying to please than by the honesty of trying to hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-ve-done-more-harm-by-the-falseness-of-trying-to-please-than-by-the/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [A broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/a-broken-bone-can-heal-but-the-wound-a-word-opens-can-fester-forever/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) [Explore all 52 Jessamyn West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We want the facts to fit the preconceptions. 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