The pleasure of being with you is in the clash of personality, the intellectual battle, the war of ideas. To survive you one must have a strong brain, an assertive ego, a dynamic character. In your luncheon-parties, in old days, the remains of the guests were taken away with the debris of the feast. I have often lunched with you in Park Lane and found myself the only survivor.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Intellectual competition is the real value in this company, often leaving only the strongest survivors.
- In plain terms
- Our interactions are battles of ideas where only strong minds survive.
- What can you take from it?
- Strong egos and intellects are needed to engage in high-level debate.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is conflict necessary for growth?
- What defines a successful social interaction?
Another view
It frames social interaction as a war which may alienate others.
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