WIST Quotations

Gide, André -- “An Unprejudiced Mind,” sec. 1, Pretexts (1959) [ed. O’Brien (1964)]

Dave — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:27:39 +0000

Most often people seek in life occasions for persisting in their opinions rather than for educating themselves.

André Gide (1869–1951) French author, Nobel laureate
“An Unprejudiced Mind,” sec. 1, Pretexts (1959) [ed. O’Brien (1964)]

Billings, Josh -- Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 286 “Variety: Billings’ Proverbs” (1874)

Dave — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:08:59 +0000

Edukashun iz a good thing generally, but most pholks eddukate their prejudices.

[Education is a good thing generally, but most folks educate their prejudices.]

Josh Billings (1818–1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 286 “Variety: Billings’ Proverbs” (1874)

Sometimes misattributed to Charles Dudley Warner.

For more discussion of other quotes around this theme, see Quote Origin: People Think They Are Thinking When They Are Merely Rearranging Their Prejudices – Quote Investigator®.

Doyle, Arthur Conan -- Story (1891-07), “A Scandal in Bohemia,” ch. 1 [Holmes], The Strand Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 1

Dave — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:02:49 +0000

I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) British writer and physician
Story (1891-07), “A Scandal in Bohemia,” ch. 1 [Holmes], The Strand Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 1

Collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, No. 1, ch. 1 (1892).

Holmes uses a similar phrase in The Sign of the Four (1890).