If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you already know.
Interpretation
To fit in socially, we often pretend to learn what we already understand.
This quote suggests that in social contexts, individuals often have to suppress their true knowledge and opinions to be seen as agreeable. It highlights the tension between personal authenticity and social conformity, suggesting that to maintain harmony in relationships, one may need to feign ignorance or openness to learning, even about concepts they already comprehend.
In practice
During a group discussion about a familiar topic, one might quote this to reflect on the need for adaptability.
There are many kinds of smiles, each having a distinct character. Some announce goodness and sweetness, others betray sarcasm, bitterness and pride; some soften the countenance by their languishing tenderness, others brighten by their spiritual vivacity.
He who seldom speaks, and with one calm well-timed word can strike dumb the loquacious, is a genius or a hero.
Where pride begins, love ceases.
Who in the same given time can produce more than others has vigor; who can produce more and better, has talents; who can produce what none else can, has genius.
When you doubt between words, use the plainest, the commonest, the most idiomatic. Eschew fine words as you would rouge; love simple ones as you would the native roses on your cheek.
Three days of uninterrupted company in a vehicle will make you better acquainted with another, than one hour's conversation with him every day for three years.
Those who live to live forever, never fear dying.
There would not be a perfect likeness of God in the universe if all things were of one grade of being.
Indeed, as any one who has ever worked among the poor knows only too well, the brotherhood of man is no mere poet's dream, it is a most depressing and humiliating reality.
Language failed me very often, but then, the substitute for me was silence, but not violence.
The average Christian is so cold and so contented with His wretched condition that there is no vacuum of desire into which the blessed Spirit can rush in satisfying fullness.
What is truth? A difficult question; but I have solved it for myself by saying that it is what the 'voice within' tells you.
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