They're ugly, but those are the facts of life.
Harper LeeRead
It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike -- in the second place, folks don't like to have someone around knowin' more than they do. It aggravates them. Your not gonna change any of them by talkin' right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Sometimes, it's wiser to keep knowledge to oneself, as not everyone is open to learning.
In this quote, Harper Lee emphasizes the importance of discretion in sharing knowledge. She suggests that people often feel threatened by those who know more than them, leading to discomfort and resistance to learning. The quote implies that effective communication requires knowing your audience and speaking in a way that resonates with them, rather than overwhelming them with facts.
Themes
KnowledgeWisdomCommunicationDiscretionLearning
In practice
Example use cases
During a meeting where someone is dominating the discussion, you might use this quote to suggest that not everyone needs to share their knowledge.
More from Harper Lee
All quotes →It's better to be silent than to be a fool.
Harper LeeRead
Don’t talk like that, Dill,” said Aunt Alexandra. “It’s not becoming to a child. It’s – cynical.” “I ain’t cynical, Miss Alexandra. Tellin’ the truth’s not cynical, is it?” “The way you tell it, it is.
Harper LeeRead
With him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.
Harper LeeRead
He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.
Harper LeeRead
You can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don't.
Harper LeeRead
Similar quotes
Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueller. And the day after tomorrow is beautiful.
Jack MaRead
Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man as far as by it he does not hurt or control the right of another; and this is the only check it ought to suffer and the only bounds it ought to know.... Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech, a thing terrible to traitors.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Like water which can clearly mirror the sky and the trees only so long as its surface is undisturbed, the mind can only reflect the true image of the Self when it is tranquil and wholly relaxed.
Indra DeviRead
I do take my work seriously and the way to do that is not to take yourself too seriously.
Alan RickmanRead
Look at the weaknesses of others with compassion, not accusation. It's not what they're not doing or should be doing that's the issue. The issue is your own chosen response to the situation and what you should be doing. If you start to think the problem is "out there," stop yourself. That thought is the problem.
Stephen CoveyRead
The difficulty is, all swing thoughts decay, like radium. What burnt up the course on Wednesday has turned to lead on Sunday. Yet it does not do to have a blank mind: the terrible hugeness of the course will rush into the vacuum and the ball will spray like a thing berserk.
John UpdikeRead