We are afraid of having and showing a small mind and we are not afraid of having and showing a small heart.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People fear intellectual inadequacy more than emotional coldness or lack of compassion.
- In plain terms
- We worry more about looking stupid than being unkind.
- What can you take from it?
- Value emotional integrity as much as intellectual capacity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Do you fear looking foolish more than being cruel?
- Is your heart as sharp as your mind?
Another view
Some cultures prioritize emotional resilience over intellectual display.
More from Joseph Joubert
We always believe God is like ourselves, the indulgent think him indulgent and the stern, terrible.
Permalink to quote #87 We do not do well except when we know where the best is and when we are assured that we have touched it and hold its power within us.
Permalink to quote #89 Virtue by calculation is the virtue of vice.
Permalink to quote #86
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