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Conventional Wisdom Quotes

On seeing past what you expect to see.

These conventional wisdom quotes challenge the habit of only noticing what you already expect, a theme worth pairing with Careful attention.

I love the early sonatas; I love the early Mozart, period. I'm really fond of that moment when he was either emulating Haydn or Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach or anybody but himself. The moment he found himself, as conventional wisdom...

Quotes by Glenn Gould

While conventional wisdom has traditionally sided against borrowing from retirement savings, sentiment has shifted toward borrowing from one's own assets with the realization that other forms of credit come at a much higher cost and often are not even available...

Quotes by Elaine Chao

The conventional wisdom in an election year is that nothing will get done until after the election.

Quotes by Christine Todd Whitman

Even though my mom was talented and had a college degree, she lived in the era when the conventional wisdom in Dallas was that my dad worked, she was supposed to stay home and take care of the kids, and...

Quotes by Cecile Richards

The biggest handicap in research is an ability to think outside the box. The handicap is being encumbered by all the conventional wisdom in a given field.

Quotes by Aubrey de Grey

People always blame the girl; she should have said no. A monosyllable, but conventional wisdom has always been that boys can't manage it.

Quotes by Anna Quindlen

Clinton is a big personality who has led a big life, and for some of the media conventional wisdom to boil it down to a view that 'all people are really interested in' are a few moments of madness in...

Quotes by Alastair Campbell

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these conventional wisdom quotes challenge?
They challenge the habit of only noticing what you already expect to see, rather than what's actually right in front of you.
Is there a repeated idea across multiple quotes?
Yes, two quotes make almost the same point: people tend to see what they've been told to see instead of observing directly.
Do the quotes mention grassroots organizing?
Yes, one connects conventional wisdom to community organizing, describing how identifying a shared cause can challenge accepted assumptions.
Is literary censorship discussed?
Yes, one quote notes that a famous novelist faced censorship, with conventional wisdom attributing it mainly to explicit content in the writing.
Where can I find more quotes about questioning assumptions?
Browse our Care collection for more quotes about paying closer attention.

From grassroots organizing to literary censorship, the set questions received ideas and rewards Ability to look closer.