What ever the motive for the insult, it is always best to overlook it; for folly doesn't deserve resentment, and malice is punished by neglect.
Interpretation
It's wiser to ignore insults, as folly doesn't merit anger, and malicious intent is best dealt with by ignoring it.
This quote by Samuel Johnson emphasizes the virtue of overlooking insults and not responding with resentment. He suggests that reacting to foolishness with anger fuels unnecessary conflict, while neglecting malice deprives it of the attention it seeks, effectively diminishing its power over us.
In practice
In a workplace setting, when a colleague makes a snide remark, one might reflect on this quote to avoid escalating the conflict.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
Take stock of your fears now and see how many of them are senseless. If you are honest with yourself you will probably find most of them are groundless.
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same.
I wish somebody had given me the news that ideas don't just fall on your head like fairy dust. You have to treat that like a job. You have to spend hours each day, where you're just like, 'This is the part of the day when I'm looking for an idea.'
I was tired of seeing the Graces always depicted as beautiful young things. I think wisdom comes with age and life and pain. And knowing what matters.
Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. Great faith must have great trials.
Only someone who is well prepared has the opportunity to improvise.
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