Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation.
Interpretation
Confusion often signifies depth of understanding and awareness of complexity.
This quote by Edward R. Murrow suggests that true comprehension of complex situations involves recognizing their ambiguity and uncertainty. If someone claims to fully understand without any confusion, they may not be perceiving the nuances and intricacies present in the reality of the situation.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about leadership challenges.
We have currently a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse, and insulate us, then television and those who finance it, those who look at it, and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late.
Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices - just recognize them.
One of the basic troubles with radio and television news is that both instruments have grown up as an incompatible combination of show business, advertising and news. Each of the three is a rather bizarre and demanding profession. And when you get all three under one roof, the dust never settles.
Speaking of Sir Winston Churchill: He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.
We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.
The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue.
It's good not only to realize that you can't please all of the people all of the time, but that you don't want to. There's a certain type of reader that you don't ever want to write for.
Many people come to self-help material because they feel like something is wrong with them or the way they are. The problem is that anything that tells you how to improve your life is also implying that there is something inherently wrong with you the way you are.
Advice? I don't offer advice. Not my business. Your life is what you make it.
A lie can make it half way around the world before the truth has time to put its boots on.
I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.
Each of us has an inner thermostat setting that determines how much love, success, and creativity we allow ourselves to enjoy. When we exceed out inner thermostat setting, we will often do something to sabotage ourselves, causing us to drop back into the old, familiar zone where we feel secure.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.