I have opinions of my own - strong opinions - but I don't always agree with them.
George H. W. BushRead
International exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as surely as water wears away a hard stone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
International exchanges help reduce differences between people over time, promoting peace.
George H. W. Bush highlights the importance of international exchanges in fostering understanding and reducing tensions between nations. While these interactions may not eliminate all differences instantly, they gradually erode barriers to peace, akin to how water slowly shapes and smooths stone over time.
Themes
InternationalExchangesPeaceUnderstandingDifferences
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a diplomatic conference, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of building relationships through exchanges.
More from George H. W. Bush
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Communism didn't fall. It was pushed.
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The anchor in our world today is freedom, holding us steady in times of change, a symbol of hope to all the world.
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It's too much show business and too much prompting, too much artificiality, and not really debates. They're rehearsed appearances.
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Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s, we see in Saddam Hussein an aggressive dictator threatening his neighbors.
George H. W. BushRead
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