--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not interested in telling people what…" description: "\"I'm not interested in telling people what to think. I'm interested in making people think.\" — Richard Herring" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/richard-herring-5479_making_i-m-not-interested-in-telling-people-wha_2372906.jpg" --- # I'm not interested in telling people what to think. I'm… ![“I'm not interested in telling people what to think. I'm interested in making people think.” quote by Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/richard-herring-5479_making_i-m-not-interested-in-telling-people-wha_2372906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/richard-herring-5479_making_i-m-not-interested-in-telling-people-wha_2372906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c6/richard-herring-5479_making_i-m-not-interested-in-telling-people-wha_2372906.jpg) > “I'm not interested in telling people what to think. I'm interested in making people think.” [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encouraging independent thought is more valuable than dictating opinions. **In simple terms:** Make people think, not tell them what to think. Key Takeaway Foster critical thinking in others. Themes education independence dialogue Mood thoughtful provocative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - classroom discussions - public debates - media analysis - leadership training Key Concepts critical thinking philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you inspire curiosity without imposing views? - What barriers exist to independent thought? A Different Perspective Some may resist questioning their beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Interested Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-telling-648496/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Not interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-interested/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-think/) [Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling/) [Telling People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-people/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-interested-230780/) ## Related quotes > [I am not interested only in telling a story, but I want to tell it my way. 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Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/i-am-not-interested-in-telling-you-what-to-think-my-job-is-to-show/) [Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/) > [I'm not interested in telling a story in my photographic work. I'm more interested in freezing certain moments in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-simmons/i-m-not-interested-in-telling-a-story-in-my-photographic-work-i-m/) [Laurie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-simmons/) > [I'm still very interested in telling one-of-a-kind women's stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-koppel/i-m-still-very-interested-in-telling-one-of-a-kind-women-s-stories/) [Lily Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-koppel/) > [The only thing better than being with you is telling people about you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz/the-only-thing-better-than-being-with-you-is-telling-people-about-you/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz/) > [Writing is just my first love. And I still have some issues with telling people what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-silverman/writing-is-just-my-first-love-and-i-still-have-some-issues-with/) [Allison Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-silverman/) > [When I was with Ellen, I was telling people, If you come out, it's gonna be better for you. But I honestly don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-heche/when-i-was-with-ellen-i-was-telling-people-if-you-come-out-it-s-gonna/) [Anne Heche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-heche/) > [Sarcasm helps keep you from telling people what you really think of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sarcasm-helps-keep-you-from-telling-people-what-you-really-think-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think it's my personality to be going around telling people what I'm doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-cole/i-don-t-think-it-s-my-personality-to-be-going-around-telling-people/) [Ashley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-cole/) > [I was telling some people in my dressing room some of my other stories, my psychotic break, and blah, blah, blah, and no, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-was-telling-some-people-in-my-dressing-room-some-of-my-other/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [If you're going to be in the business of news and telling people the truth... you've got to be honest. You've got to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-lemon/if-you-re-going-to-be-in-the-business-of-news-and-telling-people-the/) [Don Lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-lemon/) > [I want people to have a good impression of Israel. I don't feel like I'm an ambassador for my country, but I do talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gal-gadot/i-want-people-to-have-a-good-impression-of-israel-i-don-t-feel-like-i/) [Gal Gadot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gal-gadot/) > [I certainly wouldn't feel safe telling people I was writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/i-certainly-wouldn-t-feel-safe-telling-people-i-was-writer/) [Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/) ## More by Richard Herring > [Nobody at school would have expected me to be involved in anything that might have been perceived as cool. I was trying to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/nobody-at-school-would-have-expected-me-to-be-involved-in-anything/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [If I was happy for eternity I don't think I could enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/if-i-was-happy-for-eternity-i-don-t-think-i-could-enjoy-it/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [Sometimes my jokes are meant to be tasteless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/sometimes-my-jokes-are-meant-to-be-tasteless/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I have a lack of practical skills. I can't mend anything or do anything manly; I don't understand how anything works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-have-a-lack-of-practical-skills-i-can-t-mend-anything-or-do/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [It's easy to pass judgement on someone else's racism, but what about your own?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/it-s-easy-to-pass-judgement-on-someone-else-s-racism-but-what-about/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I have never been a massive fan of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-have-never-been-a-massive-fan-of-music/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I had a very happy upbringing; I love funny people and love to make them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-had-a-very-happy-upbringing-i-love-funny-people-and-love-to-make/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I've always liked science fiction as a way of commenting on ourselves and it's wrong that it is seen as less valid than other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-ve-always-liked-science-fiction-as-a-way-of-commenting-on-ourselves/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [Sometimes with relationships where you work in the same job, it becomes all about the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/sometimes-with-relationships-where-you-work-in-the-same-job-it/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [On one podcast, I attempt to antagonise and lose listeners by commentating on myself playing snooker against myself in my basement. Most people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/on-one-podcast-i-attempt-to-antagonise-and-lose-listeners-by/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I can't be the only one who watches 'Footloose' and hopes that John Lithgow will stop Kevin Bacon ever dancing again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-can-t-be-the-only-one-who-watches-footloose-and-hopes-that-john/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I've run a marathon - I think that's the most surprising thing about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-ve-run-a-marathon-i-think-that-s-the-most-surprising-thing-about-me/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [You can joke about anything. It just depends on your angle and the way you go about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/you-can-joke-about-anything-it-just-depends-on-your-angle-and-the-way/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [I was into Simon & Garfunkel before my friends got into punk and laughed at me for liking Paul Simon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-was-into-simon-garfunkel-before-my-friends-got-into-punk-and/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [For me genius is '1% inspiration and 99% procrastination.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/for-me-genius-is-1-inspiration-and-99-procrastination/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) [Explore all 100 Richard Herring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) ## More Making quotes > [I think taking a hookline of a hit song and making a new song is fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/i-think-taking-a-hookline-of-a-hit-song-and-making-a-new-song-is-fun/) [Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I love making movies, and being in any that I can be in. I'd like to be in those giant movies, as the fifth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-love-making-movies-and-being-in-any-that-i-can-be-in-i-d-like-to-be/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [There's always gonna be people with a lot of money making film, and the goal is to make profit and carry on. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-howard/there-s-always-gonna-be-people-with-a-lot-of-money-making-film-and/) [Clint Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-howard/) > [That's got to be who I am - is coming out and just bringing energy, making plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/that-s-got-to-be-who-i-am-is-coming-out-and-just-bringing-energy/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [God always has a way of making you give up something so that you may gain something better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-cassie-govender/god-always-has-a-way-of-making-you-give-up-something-so-that-you-may/) [Camille Cassie Govender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-cassie-govender/) > [We only call at ducks when their rear ends are towards us. If I'm looking at you and you call my name, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/we-only-call-at-ducks-when-their-rear-ends-are-towards-us-if-i-m/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [I've been working with a holistic specialist, trying to bring my body into balance, and part of making that happen is putting my mom's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corbin-bernsen/i-ve-been-working-with-a-holistic-specialist-trying-to-bring-my-body/) [Corbin Bernsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corbin-bernsen/) > [With platforms like Netflix, things are evolving as they are making content-driven films and series.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/with-platforms-like-netflix-things-are-evolving-as-they-are-making/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [I wasn't a bad kid. My dad left when I was young, so I didn't have much discipline, not that I'm making excuses. 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