--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We understand what we want to understand." description: "\"“We understand what we want to understand.”\" — Susan Meissner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg" --- # We understand what we want to understand. ![“We understand what we want to understand.” quote by Susan Meissner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg) > ““We understand what we want to understand.”” [Susan Meissner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-meissner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to understand only what they choose to focus on, limiting awareness. **In simple terms:** We understand what we seek. Key Takeaway Expand curiosity beyond comfort zones. Themes knowledge understanding focus limitations Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical introspective When to use this quote - education - research - personal development - critical thinking Key Concepts cognitive bias selective perception Questions to Reflect On - What topics have you ignored? - How can you broaden your perspective? A Different Perspective Self‑deception can block true insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [“I don't want to understand anything now. I want to stick to the fact. I made up my mind long time ago. 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It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [once in awhile you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look it right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/once-in-awhile-you-get-shown-the-light-in-the-strangest-of-places-if/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. 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Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-u-pacat/) [Browse all 22,300 Learning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We understand what we want to understand.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Meissner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-meissner/we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Learning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-meissner/we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/susan-meissner-12773_learning_we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand_1441812.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We understand what we want to understand.” — Susan Meissner", "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": "Susan Meissner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-meissner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We understand what we want to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-meissner/we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-meissner/we-understand-what-we-want-to-understand/#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 } } ] } ```