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Never have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Mark Twain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Engaging in conflicts with someone who lacks understanding or knowledge is futile.

This quote by Mark Twain suggests that arguing or debating with someone who is not equipped intellectually or lacks the necessary insight is pointless. It humorously highlights the absurdity of confronting someone who cannot effectively contribute to a discussion, implying that it is more productive to engage with those who are prepared and informed.

Themes

WitHumorIntellectDebateAbsurdityEngagement

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be shared during a discussion about social media debates where misinformation is common.

More from Mark Twain

Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
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The easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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