--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human propensity to having opinions…" description: "\"The human propensity to having opinions must, I guess, have started as a pretty useful evolutionary tool.\" — Jesse Armstrong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg" --- # The human propensity to having opinions must, I guess… ![“The human propensity to having opinions must, I guess, have started as a pretty useful evolutionary tool.” quote by Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg) > “The human propensity to having opinions must, I guess, have started as a pretty useful evolutionary tool.” [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human tendency to form opinions evolved as a useful adaptive mechanism for social coordination and decision‑making. **In simple terms:** Opinions helped early humans survive and cooperate. Key Takeaway Recognize opinions as evolutionary tools, not absolute truths. Themes evolution social cognition decision‑making Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - team meetings - online debates - policy discussions - personal reflection Key Concepts adaptive psychology group dynamics cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How do your opinions shape your actions? - When might an opinion be harmful? A Different Perspective Opinions can become rigid and hinder learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary/) [Evolutionary Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary-tool-2286700/) [Having Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-opinions-503806/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human Propensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-propensity-2286699/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Useful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful/) [Useful Evolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-evolutionary-2286698/) ## Related quotes > [The human propensity is to believe that flukes of good fortune will never come to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-c-mann/the-human-propensity-is-to-believe-that-flukes-of-good-fortune-will/) [Charles C. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-c-mann/) > [The wisdom of literature is quite antithetical to having opinions. 'Nothing is my last word about anything,' said Henry James. Furnishing opinions, even correct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-wisdom-of-literature-is-quite-antithetical-to-having-opinions/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Any clod can have the facts; having opinions is an art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mccabe/any-clod-can-have-the-facts-having-opinions-is-an-art/) [Charles McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-mccabe/) > [“Sometimes I think you don't really believe the things you say; you just like the sound of yourself having opinions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-reed/sometimes-i-think-you-don-t-really-believe-the-things-you-say-you/) [Amy Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-reed/) > [“Any clod can have the facts, but having opinions is an art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mccabe/any-clod-can-have-the-facts-but-having-opinions-is-an-art/) [Charles McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-mccabe/) > [I bite my tongue a lot. Being judgmental and having opinions is human nature but the way you go about handling your thoughts is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-oliver/i-bite-my-tongue-a-lot-being-judgmental-and-having-opinions-is-human/) [Ronald Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-oliver/) > [I like being on a set where you can make decisions and everything is involved and are happy to work together to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-barnard/i-like-being-on-a-set-where-you-can-make-decisions-and-everything-is/) [Aneurin Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-barnard/) > [“Government could avoid having opinions about so many things if it would quit subsidizing so many things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/government-could-avoid-having-opinions-about-so-many-things-if-it/) [George will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“Don't have an opinion about a person until you know them. And then when you do know the person, know him or her in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/don-t-have-an-opinion-about-a-person-until-you-know-them-and-then-2/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [When people are intimidated about having their own opinions, oppression is at hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/when-people-are-intimidated-about-having-their-own-opinions/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Nothing is more conductive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-christoph-lichtenberg/nothing-is-more-conductive-to-peace-of-mind-than-not-having-any/) [Georg Christoph Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-christoph-lichtenberg/) > [I can't have people always having their opinions floating my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-shumpert/i-can-t-have-people-always-having-their-opinions-floating-my-way/) [Iman Shumpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-shumpert/) > [“People's assumptions tend to default to white and male, especially when the writer is loud and unapologetically critical and sharp around the edges, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/people-s-assumptions-tend-to-default-to-white-and-male-especially/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [Don't have an opinion about a person until you know them. And then when you do know the person, know him or her in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-have-an-opinion-about-a-person-until-you-know-them-and-then/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) ## More by Jesse Armstrong > [You've got to trust the audience, and hopefully if you do interesting work you'll get an audience that are interested and engaged. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/you-ve-got-to-trust-the-audience-and-hopefully-if-you-do-interesting/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Wars are hard to look at head-on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/wars-are-hard-to-look-at-head-on/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [I'm in the game of realism so happy endings probably feel a little bit too neat for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/i-m-in-the-game-of-realism-so-happy-endings-probably-feel-a-little/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Because Oswestry is very much an Anglo-Welsh mix it can lead you to feeling a bit bipolar sometimes. I mean, you're in England but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/because-oswestry-is-very-much-an-anglo-welsh-mix-it-can-lead-you-to/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [I like people to make their own decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/i-like-people-to-make-their-own-decisions/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [There are lots of great characters in fiction who viewers and readers have engaged with that behave badly. Great characters can be unfaithful. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/there-are-lots-of-great-characters-in-fiction-who-viewers-and-readers/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [The writers' room is an open forum where anything mad or weird that aggressively shakes up the show can be suggested and considered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/the-writers-room-is-an-open-forum-where-anything-mad-or-weird-that/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Trump is just extraordinarily unusual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/trump-is-just-extraordinarily-unusual/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [I do think it's really tough being super-rich, really hard-working and wanting to get some sort of immortality by passing on the organisation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/i-do-think-it-s-really-tough-being-super-rich-really-hard-working-and/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Most of us now have opinions on such things as road tolling, the U.S. position on climate change, and the correct colour of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/most-of-us-now-have-opinions-on-such-things-as-road-tolling-the-u-s/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Unlike many hour-long scripted American dramas, 'Succession' has very few standing sets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/unlike-many-hour-long-scripted-american-dramas-succession-has-very/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [There's loads of succession stories to draw on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/there-s-loads-of-succession-stories-to-draw-on/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [As a private individual, it's probably not worth having a foreign policy of your own at all. Not unless you own at least a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/as-a-private-individual-it-s-probably-not-worth-having-a-foreign/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Why do I bother having all my stupid opinions? I mean, really, my ever evolving Balkan policy of the mid-1990s - what did I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/why-do-i-bother-having-all-my-stupid-opinions-i-mean-really-my-ever/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [There's an underlying sense that your family should accord you a greater level of safety in your interactions with them. When that's violated, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/there-s-an-underlying-sense-that-your-family-should-accord-you-a/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) [Explore all 100 Jesse Armstrong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) ## More Evolutionary quotes > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [Almost all change is evolutionary, not revolutionary... expectations always travel at higher speeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/almost-all-change-is-evolutionary-not-revolutionary-expectations/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [From the day I got out, it was an evolutionary process. I was sick for, like, two years - that's the best way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-wright-jr/from-the-day-i-got-out-it-was-an-evolutionary-process-i-was-sick-for/) [Isaac Wright Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-wright-jr/) > [From an evolutionary standpoint you can't just wipe everything out and start over, and I don't think you can do it in the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/from-an-evolutionary-standpoint-you-can-t-just-wipe-everything-out/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [Evolutionary biology is now uttering and seeking those forces that link us with all those that have being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-forsyth/evolutionary-biology-is-now-uttering-and-seeking-those-forces-that/) [Adrian Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-forsyth/) > [Creativity is the evolutionary impulse in the Universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/creativity-is-the-evolutionary-impulse-in-the-universe/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Innovation is an evolutionary process, so it's not necessary to be radical all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/innovation-is-an-evolutionary-process-so-it-s-not-necessary-to-be/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [The trick is: how do you talk about natural selection without implying the rigidity of law? We use it as almost an active participant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/the-trick-is-how-do-you-talk-about-natural-selection-without-implying/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [You don't just magically flip some evolutionary switch somewhere and transmute a quadruped into an upright-walking bipedal human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/you-don-t-just-magically-flip-some-evolutionary-switch-somewhere-and/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [“In science's pecking order, evolutionary biology lurks somewhere near the bottom, far closer to phrenology than to physics. For evolutionary biology is a historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-science-s-pecking-order-evolutionary-biology-lurks-somewhere-near/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [I thought I was a revolutionary and was only an evolutionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathe-kollwitz/i-thought-i-was-a-revolutionary-and-was-only-an-evolutionary/) [Kathe Kollwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathe-kollwitz/) > [Evolutionary biologists are not content merely to explain how variation occurs within limits, however. They aspire to answer a much broader question-which is how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/evolutionary-biologists-are-not-content-merely-to-explain-how/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [I have a theory that evolutionary biologists are more vain than particle physicists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-ince/i-have-a-theory-that-evolutionary-biologists-are-more-vain-than/) [Robin Ince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-ince/) > [If sleep does not provide a remarkable set of benefits, then it's the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/if-sleep-does-not-provide-a-remarkable-set-of-benefits-then-it-s-the/) [Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/) [Browse all 135 Evolutionary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The human propensity to having opinions must, I guess, have started as a pretty useful evolutionary tool.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jesse Armstrong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions-must-i-guess-have-started-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evolutionary" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions-must-i-guess-have-started-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e79/jesse-armstrong-5759_evolutionary_the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions_2643160.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The human propensity to having opinions must, I guess, have started as a pretty useful evolutionary tool.” — Jesse Armstrong", "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": "Jesse Armstrong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The human propensity to having opinions...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions-must-i-guess-have-started-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/the-human-propensity-to-having-opinions-must-i-guess-have-started-as/#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 } } ] } ```