Personal relations are the important thing for ever and ever, and not this outer life of telegrams and anger.
E. M. ForsterRead
Think before you speak is criticism's motto; speak before you think, creation's.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the contrast between cautious communication and spontaneous creativity.
E. M. Forster's quote delineates two approaches to communication: one that emphasizes careful consideration and thoughtfulness before speaking, which often serves as a criticism of thoughtless remarks, and another that advocates for spontaneous expression as a means of fostering creativity. The essence lies in understanding that while measured speech has its place in criticism, unrestrained expression fuels innovation and artistry.
Themes
ThoughtSpeechCreationWisdomCriticism
In practice
Example use cases
During a workshop on creativity, this quote can be used to encourage participants to express their ideas freely.
More from E. M. Forster
All quotes βA poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.
E. M. ForsterRead
One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.
E. M. ForsterRead
Oxford is Oxford: not a mere receptacle for youth, like Cambridge. Perhaps it wants its inmates to love it rather than to love one another.
E. M. ForsterRead
The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.
E. M. ForsterRead
One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.
E. M. ForsterRead
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What is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas. If you are only skeptical, then no new ideas make it through to you. On the other hand, if you are open to the point of gullibility and have not an ounce of skeptical sense in you, then you cannot distinguish useful ideas from the worthless ones.
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A vigorous temper is not altogether an evil. Men who are easy as an old shoe are generally of little worth.
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