--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When other people disagree with us, we…" description: "\"“When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, as the demonstration shows, sincere, clearheaded people se..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg" --- # When other people disagree with us, we immediately think… ![“When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, as the demonstration shows, sincere, clearheaded people see things differently, each looking through the unique lens of experience.” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg) > ““When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, as the demonstration shows, sincere, clearheaded people see things differently, each looking through the unique lens of experience.”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often label disagreement as personal fault, but differing perspectives arise from unique experiences and lenses. **In simple terms:** Disagreement stems from different experiences. Key Takeaway Seek to understand others’ viewpoints. Themes communication empathy diversity perspective conflict Mood thoughtful open‑minded Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - family debates - public discourse Key Concepts psychology philosophy social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster constructive disagreement? - What lenses shape your own views? A Different Perspective Assuming fault can hinder collaboration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demonstration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) ## Related quotes > [“Is it logical that two people can disagree and that both can be right? It's not logical: it's psychological. And it's very real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/is-it-logical-that-two-people-can-disagree-and-that-both-can-be-right/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Where we stand depends on where we sit." Each of us tends to think we see things as they are, that we are objective.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/where-we-stand-depends-on-where-we-sit-each-of-us-tends-to-think-we/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [It's not only possible, but likely that the Nobel Prize in economics will go in alternate years to people who disagree on nearly everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pournelle/it-s-not-only-possible-but-likely-that-the-nobel-prize-in-economics/) [Jerry Pournelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pournelle/) > [It's very easy to make fun of George W.Bush, but that ain't going to do it. What we have to do is knock on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-s-very-easy-to-make-fun-of-george-w-bush-but-that-ain-t-going-to/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I think it's important to understand people can disagree on things, and still move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-stills/i-think-it-s-important-to-understand-people-can-disagree-on-things/) [Kenny Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-stills/) > [We live in an age where in politics, people can't disagree with each other without good faith being questioned, there is always an ulterior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/we-live-in-an-age-where-in-politics-people-can-t-disagree-with-each/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [I think that people have to reward those individuals who are prepared to work across the political aisle. I don't see any other way;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-king/i-think-that-people-have-to-reward-those-individuals-who-are-prepared/) [Angus King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-king/) > [I don't have a strategy. I am my own person. So if people disagree with the opinion of my father and want to dislike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivanka-trump/i-don-t-have-a-strategy-i-am-my-own-person-so-if-people-disagree-with/) [Ivanka Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivanka-trump/) > [In a healthy, normal society, people can disagree with one another, even have diametrically opposing views, and this does not at all mean that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/in-a-healthy-normal-society-people-can-disagree-with-one-another-even/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) > [“So what if people disagree about values? People also disagree about facts. . . . In my view, the great intellectual challenge facing conservatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/so-what-if-people-disagree-about-values-people-also-disagree-about/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [It's a terrible and tragic and counterproductive policy to avoid communicating with people who disagree with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/it-s-a-terrible-and-tragic-and-counterproductive-policy-to-avoid/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Reasonable people can disagree about the authorities the NSA should have, when it's appropriate for the CIA to use drone strikes, and how assertive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/reasonable-people-can-disagree-about-the-authorities-the-nsa-should/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [The only people I've ever heard saying that disagreeing with Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld is un-American or treasonous are people who disagree with Bush,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bruce/the-only-people-i-ve-ever-heard-saying-that-disagreeing-with-bush/) [Craig Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bruce/) > [I don't think many people would disagree that the world is fractured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/i-don-t-think-many-people-would-disagree-that-the-world-is-fractured/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [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/) ## More by Stephen R. Covey > [“For those filled with regret, perhaps the most needful exercise of proactivity is to realize that past mistakes are also out there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-those-filled-with-regret-perhaps-the-most-needful-exercise-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/love-is-something-you-do-the-sacrifices-you-make-the-giving-of-self/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“So I recommend reading literature, such as the inspiring biography of Anwar Sadat, In Search of Identity, and seeing movies like Chariots of Fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/so-i-recommend-reading-literature-such-as-the-inspiring-biography-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. When relationships are strained and the air charged with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/my-experience-has-been-that-there-are-times-to-teach-and-times-not-to/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Just as faith without works is dead, so also works without faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/just-as-faith-without-works-is-dead-so-also-works-without-faith/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“FRIEND/ENEMY CENTEREDNESS. Young people are particularly, though certainly not exclusively, susceptible to becoming friend-centered. Acceptance and belonging to a peer group can become almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/friend-enemy-centeredness-young-people-are-particularly-though/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“As a principle-centered person, you see things differently. And because you see things differently, you think differently, you act differently. Because you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/as-a-principle-centered-person-you-see-things-differently-and-because/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-every-thousand-hacking-at-the-leaves-of-evil-there-is-one/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination, impatience, criticalness, or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/breaking-deeply-imbedded-habitual-tendencies-such-as-procrastination/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“man you might like to take her out. If you were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/man-you-might-like-to-take-her-out-if-you-were/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Start with the end in mind. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/start-with-the-end-in-mind/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“the very problem created the opportunity to build a deep relationship that empowered us to work together as a strong complementary team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-very-problem-created-the-opportunity-to-build-a-deep-relationship/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) [Explore all 230 Stephen R. Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More Demonstration quotes > [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. The logicians profess to guide it, the geometricians alone attain it, and apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-method-of-not-erring-is-sought-by-all-the-world-the-logicians/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [When the students were killed at Kent State, the cast voted to do a demonstration from the stage, and I abstained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/when-the-students-were-killed-at-kent-state-the-cast-voted-to-do-a/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) Willie Gallacher > [The only way to meet the modern demon-stration of the powers of darkness is by a demonstration of the power of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/the-only-way-to-meet-the-modern-demon-stration-of-the-powers-of/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-fermat/but-it-is-impossible-to-divide-a-cube-into-two-cubes-or-a-fourth/) [Pierre de Fermat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-fermat/) > [The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it's waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-world-out-there-is-not-waiting-for-a-new-definition-of/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [At the start of the second decade of the 21st century, young people all over the world are demonstrating against a variety of issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/at-the-start-of-the-second-decade-of-the-21st-century-young-people/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [The questioning is a stupid formality aimed exclusively at preventing us from speaking at the demonstration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/the-questioning-is-a-stupid-formality-aimed-exclusively-at-preventing/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [ We see it \[the as-yet unseen, probable new planet, Neptune\] as Columbus saw America from the coast of Spain. Its movements have been felt,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/we-see-it-the-as-yet-unseen-probable-new-planet-neptune-as-columbus/) [William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/) [Browse all 411 Demonstration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, as the demonstration shows, sincere, clearheaded people see things differently, each looking through the unique lens of experience.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen R. Covey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-immediately-think-something-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Demonstration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-immediately-think-something-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/stephen-r-covey-1501_quote_when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-im_1295978.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, as the…” — Stephen R. Covey", "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": "Stephen R. Covey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When other people disagree with us,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-immediately-think-something-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/when-other-people-disagree-with-us-we-immediately-think-something-is/#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 } } ] } ```