Question by Serge S: What is the source of the Tolstoy quote like “a stupid person believes an idea merely because it’s his own”
Or possibly, “like some dull people he stubbornly held on to this idea merely because he had thought of it himself”
Or possibly, “like some dull people he stubbornly held on to this idea merely because he had thought of it himself”
– it’s not the quote about not being willing to change a belief one has held onto throughout his life; it’s specifically about people who have plenty of ideas being willing to part with ideas they’ve come up with, while those who have few ideas are so enamored with those that they will not give them up.
Answers and Views:
Answer by bilbobagsend
Tolstoy probably though of it himself but if it was his own does that prove or disprove his quote
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n3rday says
This might be it.
"I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabrics of their life."
In other words, people subconsciously refuse to accept the truth if it is incompatible with their world views – that's why half of Americans don't believe in evolution, even though it's one of the most empirically-supported theories in the history of modern science and is the basis for modern biological thought.
The same thing occurred with geocentrism – how long did it take people to finally accept that the Earth was not the center of the universe?
Tolstoy was big on freethought – here is a similar quote of his that I enjoy, and refers to the same subject:
"Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking; where it is absent, discussion is apt to become worse than useless."
mockingbird says
wow, i gotta read some tolstoy now.
i had that idea, but mine was based on my ex-boyfriend, who believed any random thought that entered his head. he blieved that the pyramids were build my Martians, that the world will end in 2011, and that the reason he had more dreams in russia than in USA was — magnetic fields. Not russian drinking water. not the work he was doing. it had to be magnetic fields because that's what he thought it was. wanna find out exact strength of magnetic fields in russia vs Usa? wanna find out if everone has more dreams in moscow than in NY? nope. HE had more dreams in moscow than in NY — that means it HAS to be magnetic fields. Not the russian mushrooms they pick over there and pickle and sell on the street. magnetic fields. why? because he said so. that's what he thought it was and i had to respect that.
although i had this idea tolstoy expressed, tolstoy said it much better! i'd like to know the original quote now too so i can quote it and pretend like it's not my idea too!
p.seruelo says
??