--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're going to have a difference of…" description: "\"If you're going to have a difference of opinion, I think the difference of opinion should be on a matter of substance.\" — Michael Capuano" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/michael-capuano-5988_i-think_if-you-re-going-to-have-a-difference-of_935968.jpg" --- # If you're going to have a difference of opinion, I think… ![“If you're going to have a difference of opinion, I think the difference of opinion should be on a matter of substance.” quote by Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/michael-capuano-5988_i-think_if-you-re-going-to-have-a-difference-of_935968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/michael-capuano-5988_i-think_if-you-re-going-to-have-a-difference-of_935968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e5/michael-capuano-5988_i-think_if-you-re-going-to-have-a-difference-of_935968.jpg) > “If you're going to have a difference of opinion, I think the difference of opinion should be on a matter of substance.” [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Disagreements should focus on substantive issues rather than personal or trivial matters. **In simple terms:** Debates need to stay on real issues. Key Takeaway Keep discussions issue‑focused. Themes politics dialogue substance disagreement communication Mood thoughtful analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative debate - public forums - media interviews Key Concepts rhetoric policy analysis critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What topics are often reduced to personal attacks? - How to encourage respectful, issue‑based dialogue? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on substance can overlook underlying values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Difference Of Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-of-opinion/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) ## Related quotes > [I think difference of opinion is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/i-think-difference-of-opinion-is-a-good-thing/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) > [We have members of Parliament from all over the country, many of whom have a difference of opinion on some issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/we-have-members-of-parliament-from-all-over-the-country-many-of-whom/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [We don't think that we are in a quarrel with anybody. We may have a difference of opinion, but we'll not allow such differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-hariri/we-don-t-think-that-we-are-in-a-quarrel-with-anybody-we-may-have-a/) [Rafik Hariri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafik-hariri/) > [But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have been called by different names brethren of the same principle. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/but-every-difference-of-opinion-is-not-a-difference-of-principle-we/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“That what one person sees as a difference of opinion can be, to the other person, a sign of great disrespect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/that-what-one-person-sees-as-a-difference-of-opinion-can-be-to-the/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Difference of opinion has never been sufficiently appreciated. It is the unexpected, the unknowable, the divine irrationality of life that saves us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florida-scott-maxwell/difference-of-opinion-has-never-been-sufficiently-appreciated-it-is/) [Florida Scott-Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florida-scott-maxwell/) > [Art thrives on a difference of opinion. My treasure is your junk, sort of thing. Life would be dull if we all agreed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/art-thrives-on-a-difference-of-opinion-my-treasure-is-your-junk-sort/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-were-not-best-that-we-should-all-think-alike-it-is-difference-of/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Mature people never make difference of opinion a means of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/mature-people-never-make-difference-of-opinion-a-means-of-conflict/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [In a free society with a government based on reason, it is inevitable that there will be no uniform opinion about important issues. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-a-free-society-with-a-government-based-on-reason-it-is-inevitable/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“And since no difference is less easily overcome than the difference of opinion about semi-abstract questions, they never agreed in any opinion, and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/and-since-no-difference-is-less-easily-overcome-than-the-difference/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Science’ will destroy Difference of opinion. Full blessed state of the self (Complete Samadhi) prevails through the ‘science’, continuous blessed state of the self.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/science-will-destroy-difference-of-opinion-full-blessed-state-of-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [You will find that there is no other difference of opinion as regards any portions of the Universe, except that the philosophers believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/you-will-find-that-there-is-no-other-difference-of-opinion-as-regards/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [There is nothing wrong with having a difference of opinion, or throwing a little shade every now and then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-bailey/there-is-nothing-wrong-with-having-a-difference-of-opinion-or/) [Cynthia Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-bailey/) ## More by Michael Capuano > [I don't try to be something I'm not, I don't try to pretend that I'm something I'm not, I don't try to present myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-don-t-try-to-be-something-i-m-not-i-don-t-try-to-pretend-that-i-m/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [Politicians try to see the world through other people's lenses and try to bring people together so that we can have a mutual view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/politicians-try-to-see-the-world-through-other-people-s-lenses-and/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [I think it's right, to have many voices at the table before you send somebody else's child to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-think-it-s-right-to-have-many-voices-at-the-table-before-you-send/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) > [I voted against the creation of ICE. 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