The way to see what looks good and understand the reasons it looks good, and to be at one with this goodness as the work proceeds, is to cultivate an inner quietness, a peace of mind so that goodness can shine through.
Robert M. PirsigRead
If someone's ungrateful and you tell him he's ungrateful, okay, you've called him a name. You haven't solved anything.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Pointing out someone's flaws does not lead to resolution or understanding.
This quote emphasizes that simply labeling someone as ungrateful does not address the underlying issues at play. Instead of fostering communication and growth, calling out a negative trait can create defensiveness and hinder the possibility of change or improvement in the relationship.
Themes
GratitudeCommunicationUnderstandingCriticismRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting when addressing issues about team dynamics.
More from Robert M. Pirsig
All quotes →When analytic thought, the knife, is applied to experience, something is always killed in the process.
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The Buddha resides as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain.
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It's better not to see than to see wrongly.
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The truth knocks on the door and you say, go away, I'm looking for the truth, and it goes away. Puzzling.
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You want to know how to paint a perfect painting? It's easy. Make yourself perfect and then just paint naturally.
Robert M. PirsigRead
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