A monk of La Trappe, a French soldier of the Imperial Guard, and a thriving mill-owner, supposing each a type, and no more than a type, of his class, are all interesting specimens of humanity, but narrow ones, - so narrow that even all the three together would not make up a perfect man.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Specialized human types are interesting but too narrow to form a perfect man alone.
- In plain terms
- Even a monk a soldier and a mill owner together are not a perfect man.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek balance over extreme specialization.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is your life too narrow?
- What parts of humanity do you ignore?
Another view
Depth in one area is valuable even if not perfect.
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