Art begins when a man, with a purpose of communicating to other people a feeling he once experienced, calls it up again within himself and expresses it by certain external signs.
Leo TolstoyRead
Better to know a few things which are good and necessary than many things which are useless and mediocre
Interpretation
What this quote means
It is more valuable to have knowledge of important and useful things than to have a vast amount of irrelevant information.
This quote by Leo Tolstoy emphasizes the importance of acquiring meaningful and applicable knowledge over a broad but superficial understanding of many topics. It suggests that depth and relevance in what we know is far more beneficial than being overwhelmed with an abundance of mediocre and trivial information.
Themes
KnowledgeWisdomImportanceLearningValue
In practice
Example use cases
An educator might use this quote to emphasize the importance of teaching essential skills over rote memorization of facts.
More from Leo Tolstoy
All quotes βPierre looked into the sky, into the depths of the retreating, twinkling stars. "And all this is mine, and all this is in me, and all this is me!" thought Pierre. "And all this they've caught and put in a shed and boarded it up!
Leo TolstoyRead
People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing-refusing to participate in activities that make life bad.
Leo TolstoyRead
It's too easy to criticize a man when he's out of favour, and to make him shoulder the blame for everybody else's mistakes.
Leo TolstoyRead
Music is the shorthand of emotion. Emotions, which let themselves be described in words with such difficulty, are directly conveyed to man in music, and in that is its power and significance.
Leo TolstoyRead
A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor β such is my idea of happiness.
Leo TolstoyRead
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