--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The community as a whole doesn't listen…" description: "\"The community as a whole doesn't listen patiently to critics who adopt alternative viewpoints. Although the great lesson of history is that knowledge d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ab/walter-gilbert-24058_alternatives_the-community-as-a-whole-doesn-t-listen_716116.jpg" --- # The community as a whole doesn't listen patiently to… ![“The community as a whole doesn't listen patiently to critics who adopt alternative viewpoints. Although the great lesson of history is that knowledge develops through the conflict of viewpoints.” quote by Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ab/walter-gilbert-24058_alternatives_the-community-as-a-whole-doesn-t-listen_716116.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ab/walter-gilbert-24058_alternatives_the-community-as-a-whole-doesn-t-listen_716116.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ab/walter-gilbert-24058_alternatives_the-community-as-a-whole-doesn-t-listen_716116.jpg) > “The community as a whole doesn't listen patiently to critics who adopt alternative viewpoints. Although the great lesson of history is that knowledge develops through the conflict of viewpoints.” [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society often dismisses dissenting voices, yet progress stems from open debate and conflicting ideas. **In simple terms:** Dissent is essential for progress. Key Takeaway Encourage listening to alternative viewpoints. Themes dialogue critical thinking innovation Mood thoughtful inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - academic forums - policy making - team brainstorming sessions Key Concepts epistemology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster respectful disagreement? - What mechanisms ensure minority opinions are heard? A Different Perspective People may resist challenging entrenched beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Viewpoints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viewpoints/) ## Related quotes > [I am a person who continually destroys the possibilities of a future because of the numbers of alternative viewpoints I can focus on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-am-a-person-who-continually-destroys-the-possibilities-of-a-future/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our society needs to become less fragmented and more open to alternative viewpoints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-collins/our-society-needs-to-become-less-fragmented-and-more-open-to/) [Susan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-collins/) > [“If we can agree that it’s hard, if not impossible, to get a complete picture of what is going on at any given time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/if-we-can-agree-that-it-s-hard-if-not-impossible-to-get-a-complete/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“That’s because success convinces us that we are doing things the right way. 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As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-one-who-wanders-independent-in-the-world-free-from-opinions-and/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Humans have real superpowers and when I see my dad, and saw my dad, work with communities and help people change viewpoints, and lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-e-brown/humans-have-real-superpowers-and-when-i-see-my-dad-and-saw-my-dad/) [Guillermo E. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-e-brown/) > [“However much we champion freedom of thought, we actually spend much of our time censoring input. We seek out publications that mirror or support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trivers/however-much-we-champion-freedom-of-thought-we-actually-spend-much-of/) [Robert Trivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trivers/) > [I welcome opposing viewpoints, but I should warn you that you'll be facing off against the 2nd-place finisher at the 1981 Charleston County High-School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-welcome-opposing-viewpoints-but-i-should-warn-you-that-you-ll-be/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > ['Darkness' is a subjective word; it depends what your viewpoint is and how you live life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-momsen/darkness-is-a-subjective-word-it-depends-what-your-viewpoint-is-and/) [Taylor Momsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-momsen/) > [What of the Exodus? 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Even the omniscient viewpoint quails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernor-vinge/how-to-explain-how-to-describe-even-the-omniscient-viewpoint-quails/) [Vernor Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernor-vinge/) > [To have the detached eye of the occultist, to look outward, to not be so self-reflective and to learn to step through the various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/to-have-the-detached-eye-of-the-occultist-to-look-outward-to-not-be/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Public and private funds have been thrown around like confetti at a country fair, to close up and destroy clinics, hospitals, and scientific research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-fitzgerald/public-and-private-funds-have-been-thrown-around-like-confetti-at-a/) Benedict Fitzgerald ## More by Walter Gilbert > [Why do we do basic research? To learn about ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/why-do-we-do-basic-research-to-learn-about-ourselves/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Three billion bases of DNA sequence can be put on a single compact disc and one will be able to pull a CD out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/three-billion-bases-of-dna-sequence-can-be-put-on-a-single-compact/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [We know specific genes are turned on in specific cells, but we don't know to what extent this happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gilbert/we-know-specific-genes-are-turned-on-in-specific-cells-but-we-don-t/) [Walter Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gilbert/) > [Early on, it's good to develop the ability to write. 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