Great Minds Discuss Ideas; Small Minds Discuss People? (Quote)
“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.” – Eleanor Roosevelt.
Don’t you think there is something wrong with this quote? First of all, I don’t like the idea of segregation of people into great, average, and small. I think all types of people have been put on this earth to fulfill a certain purpose and it is not appropriate to categorize them. At least not in a degenerate manner like this.
Secondly, how good are ideas and events without people? If you’ve worked in any company or if you’ve been to any family function, you would have noticed that most of the time the discussion is about ‘people’.
It is the people who make/break things.
One can discuss hours together about ideas. But without people to execute and work on those ideas, those will get nowhere. An in depth understanding about people can be obtained only by discussing about/analyzing people, don’t you think?
Once the right person is put on the job, events and ideas will automatically take shape. I am not saying ideas and events are not important. But, looking at it from my perspective, I feel people are the most important piece of the puzzle.
Or, do you think I am misinterpreting the quote? Maybe the author is talking about gossip, judgement, and other such things. But even that is necessary to understand people and get things going.
No?
Destination Infinity
Eleanor Roosevelt was not a great person. She was considered scandalous by many.
But this quote has become great. I keep reading it!
Destination Infinity
The quote is great and very important
i will also write on this quote.
Sure, do write about your views.
Destination Infinity
I am a ‘discuss about people’ kind:)
Good 🙂
Destination Infinity
I hope the author is talking about gossip, off putting remarks about others and ourselves. It’s bad for our own health. A sniding remark about another person, even if there’s truth in it, instantly starts affecting the person who made the remark. At the moment, it’s me.
I have noticed that when people and I talk about other people it’s mostly about their darker / negative side of character traits / shortcomings / behaviours / mistakes / stupidity / lack. You can comfortably talk only those stuff over which we feel superior. If we talk about things better than us, it will generally involve changing our own behaviour, which is so difficult. So if we can slight others, we can instantly we feel better about ourselves without lifting a finger. Why bother with difficult stuff (and ideas)?
I think, praising others and slighting others are same. You can’t talk about another person without hurting them in one way or another, if they happen to listen i.e.
Destination Infinity
Hello DI.. How are you???
I like this quote and I had the same questions you had. Since all the human progress relates to people. But here is an explanation I read some time back which put the things in perspective:
http://qr.ae/RPxvNh
I believe it to be true. Discussing on how someone does things have much more impact in one’s lives than about his relationship status/other unwanted personal things.
I feel, even if one is discussing about the ‘personal’ details of a person, they are still attempting to learn. Or heal.
Destination Infinity
I like this quote a lot. I personally believe that small- minded people with lots of time to pass, waste it in discussing other people’s lives and idle gossip.
My point is, all that gossip and discussions on others’ lives may not be idle. Those might be their attempt to learn (and propagate) about other people.
Destination Infinity
I agree with your point… Nothing can be done without people…
But, then, there is also a line in your post – “Maybe the author is talking about gossip, judgement, and other such things”.
Maybe, great minds don’t think what others might think about their ideas… Average minds may not think about the consequences… And only small minds complain… fear the consequences and blame people for everything they could not do…
It is indeed a matter of perception and how we look at things… Do we want to pass on the blame and breathe on excuses? or should we just concentrate on what we or others are incapable of…
Anyways… a great thought provoker indeed…
And this idea (and my comment) is making me want to write something about this in my blog!
What appears like passing on the blame and breathing excuses to us might serve a larger purpose of analyzing and understanding people for them? It might be their way of communicating and learning about people?
If others are gossiping or blaming us, it’s still in our hands whether to get offended or not.
Destination Infinity
I think it is too broad a generalization.
Yes. Although the quote is a broad generalization, it has impressed many people!
Destination Infinity
I don’t understand what the person means by “great mind” .. great in what way? I am pretty sure every single person on this planet will talk about people sometime. How can they not?!
It should be talking about people in a derogatory way… Or is the author assuming that whenever we talk about people, it will be in a derogatory way? 😉
Destination Infinity
so did you hear about this particular event that happened … 🙂
Bik, you are a great mind. You should be talking about ideas, not events 🙂
Destination Infinity
he he he well when we meet at a even I am sure there will be IDEAS too 🙂