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The New York papers have long known that no large question is ever really settled until I have been consulted.
Mark Twain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote humorously suggests that major issues remain unresolved until Mark Twain weighs in on them.

Mark Twain cleverly highlights the inflated sense of self-importance that some individuals may have regarding their opinions on significant matters. By stating that large questions are not settled until he is consulted, Twain employs humor to criticize the human tendency to believe that one's perspective is essential in resolving complex issues.

Themes

Mark TwainHumorImportanceOpinionSettledQuestions

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of perspectives, you could use this quote to lighten the mood.

More from Mark Twain

Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
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The easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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