---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not at present educate people to…"
description: "\"We do not at present educate people to think but, rather, to have opinions, and that is something altogether different.\" — Louis L'Amour"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg"
---

#  We do not at present educate people to think but, rather…

![“We do not at present educate people to think but, rather, to have opinions, and that is something altogether different.” quote by Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg)

> “We do not at present educate people to think but, rather, to have opinions, and that is something altogether different.”

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

## About This Quote

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

Modern education favors forming opinions over teaching critical thinking.

**In simple terms:** Education teaches opinions, not thinking.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate critical thinking over mere opinion.

Themes

education critical thinking opinions

Mood

analytical concerned

Type

critical educational

When to use this quote

- classroom reform
- public debates
- media analysis

Key Concepts

pedagogy media literacy cognitive development

Questions to Reflect On

- How can schools teach thinking?
- What distinguishes opinion from thought?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify educational trends.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate/) [Educate People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate-people-354783/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [Opinions Altogether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions-altogether-2700181/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think-239179/) [Think Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-opinions-293561/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [“Who are these people, and why do they think their own opinions are the only right ones?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/who-are-these-people-and-why-do-they-think-their-own-opinions-are-the/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [If we learn from those only, of whose lives and opinions we altogether approve, we shall have to turn from many of the highest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/if-we-learn-from-those-only-of-whose-lives-and-opinions-we-altogether/)

[John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/)

> [A lot of times, jazz musicians try to educate people. What other genre does that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/a-lot-of-times-jazz-musicians-try-to-educate-people-what-other-genre/)

[Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/)

> [When you don't educate the people, you're crippling them. You are, you're not giving them ways to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/when-you-don-t-educate-the-people-you-re-crippling-them-you-are-you/)

[Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/)

> [You must become a climate champion, a single-issue voter. You must take whatever action you can. You must use whatever influence you have wherever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-romm/you-must-become-a-climate-champion-a-single-issue-voter-you-must-take/)

[Joseph J. Romm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-romm/)

> [Economic growth creates jobs, and countries grow when they educate their people and pursue policies that encourage households to save, existing businesses to invest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-blair-henry/economic-growth-creates-jobs-and-countries-grow-when-they-educate/)

[Peter Blair Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-blair-henry/)

> [I don't like trying to influence politicians, who are themselves representative of huge numbers of people. As an educator, I'd rather enlighten the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-like-trying-to-influence-politicians-who-are-themselves/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [The time has come to educate people, to cease all quarrels in the name of religion, culture, countries, different political or economic systems. Fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-time-has-come-to-educate-people-to-cease-all-quarrels-in-the-name/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [We have to convince people that the handouts – just taking a few little handouts, where you have a subsistent living, where you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-guillory/we-have-to-convince-people-that-the-handouts-just-taking-a-few-little/)

[Elbert Guillory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-guillory/)

> [“For a nation to be truly transformed, there must be movements, civil societies, NGOs that are spread all across the land to educate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/for-a-nation-to-be-truly-transformed-there-must-be-movements-civil/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [One of the most common ways to overcome resistance to change is to educate people about it beforehand. Communication of ideas helps people see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/one-of-the-most-common-ways-to-overcome-resistance-to-change-is-to/)

[John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/)

> [You educate people, especially young people, by stirring their passions, so you take every opportunity to grab the imagination of your employees, you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/you-educate-people-especially-young-people-by-stirring-their-passions/)

[Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/)

> [What people need and what they want may be very different… Teachers are those who educate the people to appreciate the things they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-people-need-and-what-they-want-may-be-very-different-teachers/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [I try to do what I call the three E's - educate, entertain, and enlighten. If you don't entertain, no one will show up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-try-to-do-what-i-call-the-three-e-s-educate-entertain-and-enlighten/)

[Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/)

> [I know one thing: that you can do a lot of things but if you don't educate people into conscious anarchism it gets frittered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-know-one-thing-that-you-can-do-a-lot-of-things-but-if-you-don-t/)

[Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/)

## More by Louis L'Amour

> [“If you play games with men,” he replied, “you’ll play by men’s rules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-play-games-with-men-he-replied-you-ll-play-by-men-s-rules/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [He never knew when he was whipped ... So he never was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-never-knew-when-he-was-whipped-so-he-never-was/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [“It is through wonder that we come to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/it-is-through-wonder-that-we-come-to-know/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-are-finally-all-wanderers-in-search-of-knowledge-most-of-us-hold/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [Much of command is the ability to take command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/much-of-command-is-the-ability-to-take-command/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [Out here you better have a gun, and a gun in the wagon ain't good for nothin'. I believe what the old Quaker said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/out-here-you-better-have-a-gun-and-a-gun-in-the-wagon-ain-t-good-for/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [“he had been so right, and she hated him for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/he-had-been-so-right-and-she-hated-him-for-it/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [“I will go with you, and when you make your camp, I will cook your meat, and when you wish to sleep, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/i-will-go-with-you-and-when-you-make-your-camp-i-will-cook-your-meat/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [Men strive for peace, but it is their enemies that give them strength, and I think if man no longer had enemies, he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/men-strive-for-peace-but-it-is-their-enemies-that-give-them-strength/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. Yet that will be the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/there-will-come-a-time-when-you-believe-everything-is-finished-yet/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [“Destarte! How musical! What does it mean?” “You can’t say it except in Mescalero. It means Morning, but that isn’t what it means, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/destarte-how-musical-what-does-it-mean-you-can-t-say-it-except-in/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [You can't fight the desert... you have to ride with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/you-can-t-fight-the-desert-you-have-to-ride-with-it/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [“Must one seek something? I seek to be seeking, as I learn to be learning. Each book is an adventure as is each day’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/must-one-seek-something-i-seek-to-be-seeking-as-i-learn-to-be/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [A man in his life may have many teachers, some most unexpected. The question lies with the man himself: Will he learn from them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/a-man-in-his-life-may-have-many-teachers-some-most-unexpected-the/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

> [“Like I say, I killed a man or two but I'm no thief. My ma raised me better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/like-i-say-i-killed-a-man-or-two-but-i-m-no-thief-my-ma-raised-me/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

[Explore all 337 Louis L'Amour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

## More Different quotes

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/)

[Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/)

[Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/)

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/)

[Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/)

[Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/)

[Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/)

[Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/)

> [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/)

[Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/)

> [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/)

[Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/)

[Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We do not at present educate people to think but, rather, to have opinions, and that is something altogether different.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Louis L'Amour"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-think-but-rather-to-have/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Different"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-think-but-rather-to-have/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/louis-l-amour-876_different_we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-t_277637.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We do not at present educate people to think but, rather, to have opinions, and that is something altogether…” — Louis L'Amour",
                "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": "Louis L'Amour",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We do not at present educate...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-think-but-rather-to-have/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-do-not-at-present-educate-people-to-think-but-rather-to-have/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
