--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I also knew that if people have a…" description: "\"I also knew that if people have a position on something and you try to argue them into changing it, you’re going to strengthen that position. If you wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg" --- # I also knew that if people have a position on something… ![“I also knew that if people have a position on something and you try to argue them into changing it, you’re going to strengthen that position. If you want to change people’s ideas, you shouldn’t try to convince them intellectually. What you need to do is get them into a situation where they’ll have…” quote by Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg) > “I also knew that if people have a position on something and you try to argue them into changing it, you’re going to strengthen that position. If you want to change people’s ideas, you shouldn’t try to convince them intellectually. What you need to do is get them into a situation where they’ll have to act on ideas not argue about them.” [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to change beliefs through argument often reinforces them; practical experience is more effective for shifting ideas. **In simple terms:** Arguments can backfire; action changes minds. Key Takeaway Create experiences that require acting on new ideas. Themes psychology behavior change activism communication Mood thoughtful determined Type motivational practical When to use this quote - political campaigns - team building - education reform - conflict resolution Key Concepts Cognitive dissonance experiential learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you design a safe environment for experiential learning? - What actions could reveal the limits of an argument? A Different Perspective People may resist when they feel forced; not all ideas can be tested safely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I have just as many liberal ideas as I have conservative ideas that I argue with myself sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-willis/i-have-just-as-many-liberal-ideas-as-i-have-conservative-ideas-that-i/) [Bruce Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-willis/) > [If you fell head first into a pigsty, you'd try to convince everybody you did it on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/if-you-fell-head-first-into-a-pigsty-you-d-try-to-convince-everybody/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [Go ahead...try to convince me that horses don't have feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-ahead-try-to-convince-me-that-horses-don-t-have-feelings/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Consider the possibility that I made a mistake I regret-and that I'll continue to regret that mistake and try to convince you to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/consider-the-possibility-that-i-made-a-mistake-i-regret-and-that-i-ll/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [Either they like you or they don't. Never try to convince somebody of your worth. If a person doesn't appreciate you,they don't deserve you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/either-they-like-you-or-they-don-t-never-try-to-convince-somebody-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before you meet the love of your life, there's usually one guy you date that you try to convince yourself is him. Let me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mollen/before-you-meet-the-love-of-your-life-there-s-usually-one-guy-you/) [Jenny Mollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mollen/) > [The ego will always compel us to try to convince others we are right. But does it matter? Do we want to be right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-ego-will-always-compel-us-to-try-to-convince-others-we-are-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know, at the end of the day, I can only be me. I could try to convince you that I'm Leonardo DiCaprio; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-jackson/you-know-at-the-end-of-the-day-i-can-only-be-me-i-could-try-to/) [Joshua Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-jackson/) > [DON'T TRY TO EXPLAIN YOUR SELF TO ANYBODY, AND DON'T TRY TO ARGUE WITH ANYONE EITHER YOU ARE RIGHT OR WRONG. BECAUSE IF YOU…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-voice/don-t-try-to-explain-your-self-to-anybody-and-don-t-try-to-argue-with/) NO VOICE > [“I won't try to argue you out of this pit you've climbed into, Cork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kent-krueger/i-won-t-try-to-argue-you-out-of-this-pit-you-ve-climbed-into-cork/) [William Kent Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kent-krueger/) > [“Rarely are there big heroic choices that will settle matters once and for all. The smallest positive step is probably the right one. Try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/rarely-are-there-big-heroic-choices-that-will-settle-matters-once-and/) [Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/) > [I speak my mind on religion because deep down I want someone to try to argue with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-speak-my-mind-on-religion-because-deep-down-i-want-someone-to-try/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't even try to argue with your doctor because he knows you more than you think you know yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/don-t-even-try-to-argue-with-your-doctor-because-he-knows-you-more/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [It's important not to try to convince others of your own reasons for change. Finding the reason why they should want to support your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-hegar/it-s-important-not-to-try-to-convince-others-of-your-own-reasons-for/) [MJ Hegar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-hegar/) > [“won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t at least try to convince you of my feelings. Not after that kiss. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-eliot/won-t-be-able-to-live-with-myself-if-i-don-t-at-least-try-to-convince/) [Anne Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-eliot/) ## More by Myles Horton > [I think if I had to put a finger on what I consider a good education, a good radical education, it wouldn't be anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-think-if-i-had-to-put-a-finger-on-what-i-consider-a-good-education/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [Any decent society has to be built on trust and love and the intelligent use of information and feelings. Education involves being able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/any-decent-society-has-to-be-built-on-trust-and-love-and-the/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [“Now I've been criticized for advocating that people push their boundaries because sometimes people get caught. Sometimes people get fired. Sometimes people lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/now-i-ve-been-criticized-for-advocating-that-people-push-their/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [“Now I have very little respect for the electoral system in the United States. I could have respected it in the early days, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/now-i-have-very-little-respect-for-the-electoral-system-in-the-united/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [I feel that all knowledge should be in the free-trade zone. Your knowledge, my knowledge, everybody's knowledge should be made use of. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-feel-that-all-knowledge-should-be-in-the-free-trade-zone-your/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [I’m much better at working out ideas in action than I am in theorizing about it and then transferring my thinking to action. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-m-much-better-at-working-out-ideas-in-action-than-i-am-in/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [“There's no science that can't be used for good or for evil. Science could be used by whoever has the power to use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/there-s-no-science-that-can-t-be-used-for-good-or-for-evil-science/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [Instead of thinking that you put pieces together that will add up to a whole, I think you have to start with the premise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/instead-of-thinking-that-you-put-pieces-together-that-will-add-up-to/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [If you only try to do the things where you win, then you'll never try to do anything worth doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/if-you-only-try-to-do-the-things-where-you-win-then-you-ll-never-try/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [“I don't know what to do, and if I did know what to do I wouldn't tell you, because if I had to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-don-t-know-what-to-do-and-if-i-did-know-what-to-do-i-wouldn-t-tell/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [When people criticize me for not having any respect for existing structures and institutions, I protest. I say I give institutions and structures and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/when-people-criticize-me-for-not-having-any-respect-for-existing/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [“No one is charismatic. Someone becomes charismatic in history, socially. The question for me is once again the problem of humility. If the leader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/no-one-is-charismatic-someone-becomes-charismatic-in-history-socially/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [“The critic said, but don't you feel awkward about biting the hand that feeds you? I said no, I enjoy just gnawing it up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/the-critic-said-but-don-t-you-feel-awkward-about-biting-the-hand-that/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [You can't be a revolutionary, you can't want to change society if you don't love people, there's no point in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/you-can-t-be-a-revolutionary-you-can-t-want-to-change-society-if-you/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [Nothing will change until we change - until we throw off our dependence and act for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/nothing-will-change-until-we-change-until-we-throw-off-our-dependence/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) [Explore all 19 Myles Horton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I also knew that if people have a position on something and you try to argue them into changing it, you’re going to strengthen that position. If you want to change people’s ideas, you shouldn’t try to convince them intellectually. What you need to do is get them into a situation where they’ll have to act on ideas not argue about them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Myles Horton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-position-on-something-and-you-try/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-position-on-something-and-you-try/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/myles-horton-28524_arguing_i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-positi_2034857.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I also knew that if people have a position on something and you try to argue them into changing it, you’re…” — Myles Horton", "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": "Myles Horton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I also knew that if people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-position-on-something-and-you-try/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-also-knew-that-if-people-have-a-position-on-something-and-you-try/#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 } } ] } ```