Great advantage is drawn from knowledge of your adversary, and when you know the measure of his intelligence and character, you can use it to play on his weakness.
Frederick The GreatRead
I love opposition that has convictions.
Interpretation
Valuing strong beliefs in opposition leads to fruitful discussions and growth.
Frederick the Great emphasizes the importance of engaging with those who hold strong convictions, even when they oppose us. Such opposition can spark meaningful dialogue, challenging our own beliefs and leading to greater understanding and personal growth.
In practice
In a debate, you might say this quote to encourage respect for differing opinions.
Great advantage is drawn from knowledge of your adversary, and when you know the measure of his intelligence and character, you can use it to play on his weakness.
Religion is the idol of the mob; it adores everything it does not understand.
It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches.
I begin by taking. I shall find scholars later to demonstrate my perfect right.
No government can exist without taxation. The money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress.
It is pardonable to be defeated, but never to be surprised.
I have no other view than to promote the public good, and am unambitious of honors not founded in the approbation of my Country.
Obama does seem to have what both FDR and Lincoln had, which is the recognition that you have to hold back at times and then wait to come forward.
An orchestra knows during the first two minutes of the first rehearsal whether or not they are going to enjoy the person on the podium.
He [President Franklin D. Roosevelt] died in harness, and we may well say in battle harness, like his soldiers, sailors and airmen who died side by side with ours and carrying out their tasks to the end all over the world. What an enviable death was his.
If we want girls to receive positive reinforcement for early acts of leadership, let's discourage bossy behavior along with banning bossy labels. That means teaching girls to engage in behaviors that earn admiration before they assert their authority.
Ironically, when a bunch of very smart people are sitting around a table for hours trying to figure out whether they should do something, that tends to not necessarily lead to the best results.
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