If I die a violent death, as some fear and a few are plotting, I know that the violence will be in the thought and the action of the assassins, not in my dying.
Indira GandhiRead
You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.
Interpretation
What this quote means
You cannot engage in meaningful relationships or dialogue while being closed off or defensive.
This quote emphasizes the importance of openness and willingness to engage in communication. It suggests that collaboration, understanding, and peace cannot be achieved if one maintains a closed or defensive posture, symbolized by a 'clenched fist'. Instead, it advocates for reaching out and being receptive to others, implying that genuine connection often requires vulnerability.
Themes
CommunicationOpennessUnderstandingPeaceRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a business negotiation, remember that you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist; approach the discussion with openness.
More from Indira Gandhi
All quotes βAll my games were political games; I was, like Joan of Arc, perpetually being burned at the stake.
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The power to question is the basis of all human progress.
Indira GandhiRead
My father was a statesman, I'm a political woman. My father was a saint. I'm not.
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People with clenched fists can not shake hands.
Indira GandhiRead
A nation' s strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others.
Indira GandhiRead
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