We call those poets who are first to mark, Through earth's dull mist the coming of the dawn, Who see in twilight's gloom the first pale spark, While others only note that day is gone.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.Read
Stupidity often saves a man from going mad.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ignorance can sometimes protect someone from the harsh realities of life.
This quote suggests that not knowing or understanding certain truths can shield individuals from mental distress. It implies that a lack of awareness or intelligence may serve as a form of self-preservation, allowing individuals to avoid the burdens that come with deeper understanding or insight into the complexities of life.
Themes
StupidityMadnessIgnoranceProtectionTruth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a mental health discussion to illustrate coping mechanisms.
More from Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
All quotes βEvery real thought on every real subject knocks the wind out of somebody or other.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.Read
The very aim and end of our institutions is just this: that we may think what we like and say what we think.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.Read
Don't you stay at home of evenings? Don't you love a cushioned seat in a corner, by the fireside, with your slippers on your feet?
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Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.Read
Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that - one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.Read
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