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It is the nature of a man as he grows older, a small bridge intime, toprotest againstchange, particularlychangefor the better.
John Steinbeck
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Interpretation

What this quote means

As people age, they often resist positive changes in their lives.

John Steinbeck's quote reflects the innate tendency of individuals to resist changes, even those that are beneficial. It suggests that as we grow older, we become more set in our ways and hesitant to embrace new experiences or improvements in our life, highlighting a common human struggle with adaptation and acceptance.

Themes

NatureChangeResistanceGrowthAdaptation

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech addressing the importance of embracing change.

More from John Steinbeck

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
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At one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
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And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
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The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
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People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
John SteinbeckRead
It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
John SteinbeckRead

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