The little things, I can obey. But the big things - how we think, what we value - those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone - or any society - determine those for you.
Morrie SchwartzRead
To despise theory is to have the excessively vain pretension to do without knowing what one does, and to speak without knowing what one says.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ignoring theory leads to ignorance in one's actions and words.
This quote emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying principles and theories behind our actions and words. Without this understanding, one risks being arrogant and misguided, as they speak and act without true knowledge or awareness of their implications.
Themes
TheoryKnowledgeWisdomUnderstandingAction
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on critical thinking, I might say, 'As Bernard Le Bovier De Fontenelle noted, to despise theory is to disregard the foundation of informed discourse.'
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