--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only reason why we wish to exchange…" description: "\"The only reason why we wish to exchange thoughts is that we are different. If we were all the same, we would die dumb. No thought would be expressed af..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-green-ingersoll-361_communication_the-only-reason-why-we-wish-to-exchange_1999934.png" --- # The only reason why we wish to exchange thoughts is that… ![“The only reason why we wish to exchange thoughts is that we are different. If we were all the same, we would die dumb. No thought would be expressed after we found that our thoughts were precisely alike. We differ-our thoughts are different. Therefore the commerse that we call conversation.” quote by Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-green-ingersoll-361_communication_the-only-reason-why-we-wish-to-exchange_1999934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-green-ingersoll-361_communication_the-only-reason-why-we-wish-to-exchange_1999934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-green-ingersoll-361_communication_the-only-reason-why-we-wish-to-exchange_1999934.png) > “The only reason why we wish to exchange thoughts is that we are different. If we were all the same, we would die dumb. No thought would be expressed after we found that our thoughts were precisely alike. We differ-our thoughts are different. Therefore the commerse that we call conversation.” [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human diversity fuels conversation; without differing thoughts, dialogue collapses and stagnates. **In simple terms:** Different minds create conversation. Key Takeaway Value and protect differing perspectives. Themes diversity conversation intellectual growth Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - public debates - creative brainstorming - conflict resolution Key Concepts individualism dialogue cognitive variety Questions to Reflect On - How does embracing difference improve problem solving? - What risks arise from suppressing dissent? A Different Perspective Uniformity can stifle innovation and critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Differ Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differ-thoughts-3512565/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/) [Exchange Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exchange-thoughts-3512564/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Openness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/openness/) [Our thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-thoughts/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-why/) [Thought Expressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-expressed-1790550/) [Thoughts Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-different-427711/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [The best that we can do for one another is to exchange our thoughts freely; and that, after all, is about all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/the-best-that-we-can-do-for-one-another-is-to-exchange-our-thoughts/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The change is radical it gives us new natures, it makes us love what we hated and hate what we loved, it sets us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-change-is-radical-it-gives-us-new-natures-it-makes-us-love-what/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [We wanna believe that we're different than the average guy that's working 9-to-5, that our thoughts are different than his. Our inspirations and desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/we-wanna-believe-that-we-re-different-than-the-average-guy-that-s/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The secret to freestyling is working on the creation of thought and it being expressed from your cerebral cortex, to the air in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myka-9/the-secret-to-freestyling-is-working-on-the-creation-of-thought-and/) [Myka 9](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myka-9/) > [Thought is the first level of creation. Next comes the word. Everything you say is a thought expressed. 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Only that which can be expressed in words is being said. But what cannot be put into language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anandamayi-ma/reality-is-beyond-speech-and-thought-only-that-which-can-be-expressed/) [Anandamayi Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anandamayi-ma/) > [True wit is nature to advantage dressed, what oft was thought, but never so well expressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/true-wit-is-nature-to-advantage-dressed-what-oft-was-thought-but/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [If a false thought is so much as expressed boldly and clearly, a great deal has already been gained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/if-a-false-thought-is-so-much-as-expressed-boldly-and-clearly-a-great/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [The world is the work of a single thought, expressed in a thousand different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/the-world-is-the-work-of-a-single-thought-expressed-in-a-thousand/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [ “\[...\] the diversity of our opinions, consequently, does not arise from some being endowed with a larger share of reason than others, but solely… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/the-diversity-of-our-opinions-consequently-does-not-arise-from-some/) [René Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Thoughts will change and shift just like the wind and the water when you're on the boat; thoughts are no different than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/thoughts-will-change-and-shift-just-like-the-wind-and-the-water-when/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [In the present time you don't really establish what you're going through, but after time it's declared something. 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Without Liberty, there can be no civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/liberty-is-the-condition-of-progress-without-liberty-there-remains/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [It has been said that a man of genius should select his ancestors with great care - and yet there does not seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/it-has-been-said-that-a-man-of-genius-should-select-his-ancestors/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [When passions and appetites are stronger than the intellect, men are savages; when the intellect governs the passions, when the passions are servants, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/when-passions-and-appetites-are-stronger-than-the-intellect-men-are/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [In spite of my surroundings, of my education, I had no love for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/in-spite-of-my-surroundings-of-my-education-i-had-no-love-for-god/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The combined wisdom and genius of all mankind cannot possibly conceive of an argument against liberty of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-combined-wisdom-and-genius-of-all-mankind-cannot-possibly/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Calvin founded a little theocracy, modeled after the Old Testament, and succeeded in erecting the most detestable government that ever existed, except the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/calvin-founded-a-little-theocracy-modeled-after-the-old-testament-and/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends. 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