--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a rule, the most dangerous ideas are…" description: "\"As a rule, the most dangerous ideas are not the ones that divide people but those on which they agree.\" — Stephen Vizinczey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/stephen-vizinczey-20251_agree_as-a-rule-the-most-dangerous-ideas-are-n_262256.jpg" --- # As a rule, the most dangerous ideas are not the ones that… ![“As a rule, the most dangerous ideas are not the ones that divide people but those on which they agree.” quote by Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/stephen-vizinczey-20251_agree_as-a-rule-the-most-dangerous-ideas-are-n_262256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/stephen-vizinczey-20251_agree_as-a-rule-the-most-dangerous-ideas-are-n_262256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/stephen-vizinczey-20251_agree_as-a-rule-the-most-dangerous-ideas-are-n_262256.jpg) > “As a rule, the most dangerous ideas are not the ones that divide people but those on which they agree.” [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The most harmful ideas are those universally accepted, because they suppress dissent. **In simple terms:** Common ideas can be dangerous. Key Takeaway Question consensus. Themes power conformity danger Mood cautious critical Type philosophical provocative When to use this quote - political campaigns - corporate culture - social media - academic discourse Key Concepts political theory psychology critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What accepted ideas might be harmful? - How can we encourage healthy disagreement? A Different Perspective Assumes all consensus is negative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dangerous ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Mob rule is dangerous. Well-intentioned, TV-baited mobs are the most dangerous. They do not consider the consequences of their actions, and they're prone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/mob-rule-is-dangerous-well-intentioned-tv-baited-mobs-are-the-most/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [I believe you can divide the people in to two basic groups, those who believe government is a necessary good and those who believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-nofziger/i-believe-you-can-divide-the-people-in-to-two-basic-groups-those-who/) [Lyn Nofziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-nofziger/) > [I do think that really great music will divide people, and people will love and hate it at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-pritchard/i-do-think-that-really-great-music-will-divide-people-and-people-will/) [Luke Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-pritchard/) > [You see, I always divide people into two groups. Those who live by what they know to be a lie, and those who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hampton/you-see-i-always-divide-people-into-two-groups-those-who-live-by-what/) [Christopher Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hampton/) > [We all know that the nation can't divide more than the people produce, but as individuals we try to get more than our share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/we-all-know-that-the-nation-can-t-divide-more-than-the-people-produce/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [The divides are not Islam and western society, the divide is between people who have different values. We must promote connections between people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullahi-ahmed-an-na-im/the-divides-are-not-islam-and-western-society-the-divide-is-between/) Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im > ["I’m not Catholic, I’m not Orthodox…" and I wouldn’t even say Rastafarian, that still divides people, I don’t want to divide people so anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/i-m-not-catholic-i-m-not-orthodox-and-i-wouldn-t-even-say-rastafarian/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [ I don't feel that I've been hampered by \[ racism or discrimination\], and the reason why is that we reach out to people on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/i-don-t-feel-that-i-ve-been-hampered-by-racism-or-discrimination-and/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [I think Donald Trump is dividing the American people. He is not good for America. It's not good for our standing in the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-think-donald-trump-is-dividing-the-american-people-he-is-not-good/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Yesterday's dangerous idea is today's orthodoxy and tomorrow's cliché.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/yesterday-s-dangerous-idea-is-today-s-orthodoxy-and-tomorrow-s-clich/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Feelings are more dangerous than ideas, because they aren't susceptible to rational evaluation. They grow quietly, spreading underground, and erupt suddenly, all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/feelings-are-more-dangerous-than-ideas-because-they-aren-t/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [You have to have a temperamental attraction to dangerous ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-holt/you-have-to-have-a-temperamental-attraction-to-dangerous-ideas/) [Jim Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-holt/) > [“It was like trying to balance on a pair of knife blades. Who had thought of this mad form of travel in the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/it-was-like-trying-to-balance-on-a-pair-of-knife-blades-who-had/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [“And the only thing worse than the silencing of a martyr, a real martyr – someone with dangerous ideas – is silencing someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/and-the-only-thing-worse-than-the-silencing-of-a-martyr-a-real-martyr/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [“At the apex of Prince's career, I listened almost exclusively to metal. My sister actually purchased 'Purple Rain' on cassette, which I write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/at-the-apex-of-prince-s-career-i-listened-almost-exclusively-to-metal/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) ## More by Stephen Vizinczey > [Thou shalt not let a day pass without rereading something great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/thou-shalt-not-let-a-day-pass-without-rereading-something-great/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“I had affairs with a few girls of my own age, and they taught me that no girl, however intelligent and war-hearted, can possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/i-had-affairs-with-a-few-girls-of-my-own-age-and-they-taught-me-that/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [The truth is that our race survived ignorance; it is our scientific genius that will do us in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/the-truth-is-that-our-race-survived-ignorance-it-is-our-scientific/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [To state a lie firmly, categorically and with great authority, undeterred by the fact that all concerned know it to be a lie, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/to-state-a-lie-firmly-categorically-and-with-great-authority/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [You tell me your favorite novelists and I'll tell you whom you vote for, or whether you vote at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/you-tell-me-your-favorite-novelists-and-i-ll-tell-you-whom-you-vote/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“I suppose it's more unnerving to be a boy than a girl,' she conceded.'It's the boys who have to make fools of themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/i-suppose-it-s-more-unnerving-to-be-a-boy-than-a-girl-she-conceded-it/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Strange as it may seem, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and formal education positively fortifies it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/strange-as-it-may-seem-no-amount-of-learning-can-cure-stupidity-and/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Art experts are unfailingly opposed to Art for the simple reason that they are interested in Art - but Art is not interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/art-experts-are-unfailingly-opposed-to-art-for-the-simple-reason-that/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Whenever you hear the word "inevitable", watch out! An enemy of humanity has identified himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/whenever-you-hear-the-word-inevitable-watch-out-an-enemy-of-humanity/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Is it possible that I am not alone in believing that in the dispute between Galileo and the Church, the Church was right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/is-it-possible-that-i-am-not-alone-in-believing-that-in-the-dispute/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Great writers are not those who tell us we shouldn’t play with fire, but those who make our fingers burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/great-writers-are-not-those-who-tell-us-we-shouldn-t-play-with-fire/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [To be great is to assume great concerns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/to-be-great-is-to-assume-great-concerns/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [We now have a whole culture based on the assumption that people know nothing and so anything can be said to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/we-now-have-a-whole-culture-based-on-the-assumption-that-people-know/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [“I made a resolution I would throw myself into the Danube if I didn't ask you to make love with me today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vizinczey/i-made-a-resolution-i-would-throw-myself-into-the-danube-if-i-didn-t/) [Stephen Vizinczey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vizinczey/) > [Most bad books get that way because their authors are engaged in trying to justify themselves. 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