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Anybody who has something sensible or worthwhile to say should be able to say it calmly and soberly, relying on the words themselves to convey his meaning, without resorting to yelling.
Richard Dawkins
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Effective communication relies on clarity and composure rather than volume or aggression.

This quote emphasizes the importance of calm and sober communication. Richard Dawkins argues that a person conveying meaningful thoughts should do so through the strength of their words rather than raising their voice. It suggests that true understanding comes from clear expression rather than emotional intensity, highlighting the power of reasoned dialogue over loud discourse.

Themes

CommunicationCalmnessClarityReasonDialogue

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about effective teamwork, one could quote this to emphasize the importance of calm communication.

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Even if not a single fossil has ever been found, the evidence from surviving animals would still overwhelmingly force the conclusion that Darwin was right.
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The bitter hatreds that now poison Middle Eastern politics are rooted in the real or perceived wrong of the setting up of a Jewish State in an Islamic region. In view of all that the Jews had been through, it must have seemed a fair and humane solution. Probably deep familiarity with the Old Testament had given the European and American decision-makers some sort of idea that this really was the historic homeland of the Jews.
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