--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The man who never alters his opinion is…" description: "\"The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.\" — William Blake" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg" --- # The man who never alters his opinion is like standing… ![“The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.” quote by William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg) > “The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.” [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unchanging opinions become stagnant, breeding harmful mental habits. **In simple terms:** Rigid minds become toxic. Key Takeaway Stay open to new ideas. Themes flexibility growth mental health Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - learning environments - personal development Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle opposing views? - What benefits arise from adaptability? A Different Perspective Changing opinions can be seen as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reptiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reptiles/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinions-is-like-standing-water-and/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“The mystic poet William Blake once wrote, “The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water and breeds reptiles of the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-robbins/the-mystic-poet-william-blake-once-wrote-the-man-who-never-alters-his/) [Anthony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-robbins/) > [“There are always costs when man alters nature, his own or the world around him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tam-linsey/there-are-always-costs-when-man-alters-nature-his-own-or-the-world/) Tam Linsey > [Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-allen/our-life-is-what-our-thoughts-make-it-a-man-will-find-that-as-he/) [James Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-allen/) > [The man who alters his way of thinking to suit others is a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/the-man-who-alters-his-way-of-thinking-to-suit-others-is-a-fool/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [“He fell into a solemn silence, which he only eventually broke to say, “I think I’ve become a terrible person. In fact, I’ve become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/he-fell-into-a-solemn-silence-which-he-only-eventually-broke-to-say-i/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [In them was not the savage blankness of the reptile species. Instead there was something far worse - burning, unquenchable rage mixed with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitley-strieber/in-them-was-not-the-savage-blankness-of-the-reptile-species-instead/) [Whitley Strieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitley-strieber/) > [And in the afternoon they entered a land - but such a land! A land hung in mourning, darkened by gigantic cypresses, submerged; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-cable/and-in-the-afternoon-they-entered-a-land-but-such-a-land-a-land-hung/) [George Washington Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-cable/) > [Love is like a reptile, you cut off its tail and it grows another one." Kiss Me Judas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-christopher-baer/love-is-like-a-reptile-you-cut-off-its-tail-and-it-grows-another-one/) [Will Christopher Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-christopher-baer/) > [If you have birds, or if you're a herpetologist and raise reptiles - you look in those eyes, and there is nothing there that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-bissette/if-you-have-birds-or-if-you-re-a-herpetologist-and-raise-reptiles-you/) [Stephen R. Bissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-bissette/) > [So there you have it: Nature is a rotten mess. But that's only the beginning. If you take your eyes off it for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goldberg/so-there-you-have-it-nature-is-a-rotten-mess-but-that-s-only-the/) [Lee Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goldberg/) > [I love all animals. I have a fascination with fish, birds, whales - sentient life - insects, reptiles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-love-all-animals-i-have-a-fascination-with-fish-birds-whales/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [Nice creepy reptile,” Frank said, very aware of the driftwood in his coat pocket. “Nice poisonous, fire-breathing reptile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nice-creepy-reptile-frank-said-very-aware-of-the-driftwood-in-his/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The combination of such characters, some, as the sacral ones, altogether peculiar among Reptiles, others borrowed, as it were, from groups now distinct from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-owen/the-combination-of-such-characters-some-as-the-sacral-ones-altogether/) [Richard Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-owen/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More by William Blake > [Poetry fettered, fetters the human race. Nations are destroyed or flourish in proportion as their poetry, painting, and music are destroyed or flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/poetry-fettered-fetters-the-human-race-nations-are-destroyed-or/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Where any view of money exists, art cannot be carried on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/where-any-view-of-money-exists-art-cannot-be-carried-on/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [God only acts and is, in existing beings or men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/god-only-acts-and-is-in-existing-beings-or-men/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/kill-not-the-moth-nor-butterfly-for-the-last-judgement-draweth-nigh/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The world of imagination is the world of eternity. It is the divine bosom into which we shall all go after death of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-world-of-imagination-is-the-world-of-eternity-it-is-the-divine/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Imagination is the real and eternal world of which this vegetable universe is but a faint shadow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/imagination-is-the-real-and-eternal-world-of-which-this-vegetable/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Painters are noted for being dissipated and wild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/painters-are-noted-for-being-dissipated-and-wild/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Time is the mercy of Eternity; without Time's swiftness Which is the swiftest of all things, all were eternal torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/time-is-the-mercy-of-eternity-without-time-s-swiftness-which-is-the/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: the bad artist seems to copy a great deal; the good one really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-difference-between-a-bad-artist-and-a-good-one-is-the-bad-artist/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Cruelty has a human heart, and jealousy a human face. Terror, the human form divine, And secrecy, the human dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/cruelty-has-a-human-heart-and-jealousy-a-human-face-terror-the-human/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [A dead body revenges not injuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/a-dead-body-revenges-not-injuries/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained; and the restrainer or reason usurps its place & governs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/those-who-restrain-desire-do-so-because-theirs-is-weak-enough-to-be/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [To generalize is to be an idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/to-generalize-is-to-be-an-idiot/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [THE POISON TREE I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-poison-tree-i-was-angry-with-my-friend-i-told-my-wrath-my-wrath/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The bird a nest the spider a web the human friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-bird-a-nest-the-spider-a-web-the-human-friendship/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) [Explore all 592 William Blake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## More Opinions quotes > [I do have opinions. Fortunately, I neither Twitter nor Facebook. My daughter forbids me to go on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/i-do-have-opinions-fortunately-i-neither-twitter-nor-facebook-my/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [Of course when you voice your opinions, there are going to be negative things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/of-course-when-you-voice-your-opinions-there-are-going-to-be-negative/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) > [I have my own opinions; you can have your own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-have-my-own-opinions-you-can-have-your-own-opinions/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the end, the whole Internet thing kills me, because you can use it as a positive thing or you can read into all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/in-the-end-the-whole-internet-thing-kills-me-because-you-can-use-it/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [“When a lady does consent to listen to an argument against her own opinions, she is always predetermined to withstand it - to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/when-a-lady-does-consent-to-listen-to-an-argument-against-her-own/) [Anne Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [Opinions are opinions. I don't mind being a part of one, negative or positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/opinions-are-opinions-i-don-t-mind-being-a-part-of-one-negative-or/) [Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/) > [I was never looking to be popular. The trade-off for me in seeking other people's opinions is the potential to help that you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cuomo/i-was-never-looking-to-be-popular-the-trade-off-for-me-in-seeking/) [Chris Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cuomo/) > [People can have their opinions about everything in the world, but people's opinions end where the tip of my nose begins. Your opinions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-can-have-their-opinions-about-everything-in-the-world-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never minded giving my opinions. They are just opinions, and I had studied music and I had strong feelings. I was happy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-never-minded-giving-my-opinions-they-are-just-opinions-and-i-had/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Even good opinions are worth very little unless we hold them in the broad, intelligent, and spacious way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-morley/even-good-opinions-are-worth-very-little-unless-we-hold-them-in-the/) [John Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-morley/) > [I could sit down and give USADA my opinions on it, but I want to say they've done a great job. Guys like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-masvidal/i-could-sit-down-and-give-usada-my-opinions-on-it-but-i-want-to-say/) [Jorge Masvidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-masvidal/) > [The nature of television is that it's a beast with a lot of opinions. I don't consider myself typecast any more than Neil Patrick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaleel-white/the-nature-of-television-is-that-it-s-a-beast-with-a-lot-of-opinions/) [Jaleel White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaleel-white/) > [Actors live dependent on being validated by other people's opinions. I don't understand what it is I do that people want. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/actors-live-dependent-on-being-validated-by-other-people-s-opinions-i/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [My personal opinions on any subject are really not relevant, not important, and to the extent that I might inject them, I am acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-trump-barry/my-personal-opinions-on-any-subject-are-really-not-relevant-not/) [Maryanne Trump Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-trump-barry/) [Browse all 1,648 Opinions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Blake" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is-like-standing-water-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Opinions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is-like-standing-water-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/william-blake-397_opinions_the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is_1428254.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.” — William Blake", "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": "William Blake", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The man who never alters his...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is-like-standing-water-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-man-who-never-alters-his-opinion-is-like-standing-water-and/#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 } } ] } ```