He combined scientific brilliance, political courage, and a stubborn, quirky single-mindedness in ways that... will probably always resist simple explanation.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Pauling's combination of brilliance, courage, and stubbornness resists simple explanation.
- In plain terms
- His mix of brilliance, courage, and stubbornness is complex.
- What can you take from it?
- Complex personal traits resist simple explanations.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Which traits make people hard to categorize?
Another view
Stubbornness can hinder collaboration as much as it drives focus.
More from Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling undoubtedly stands as one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century.
Permalink to quote #20 Whatever the context and whatever the audience, he was clear, he was committed, he was compassionate, and, far more often than most, he was right - or if not, …
Permalink to quote #22 An extraordinary person - a scientist, educator, humanist, and statesman with worldwide impact in each of these roles.
Permalink to quote #19
Related quotes
'...he's really awesome and really horrible' --Anonymous young boy, 2007.
Tom WaitsTom Waits quote #35 Only the brave know how to forgive...A coward never forgave; it is not in his nature.
Laurence SterneLaurence Sterne quote #1 He had never disagreed with anyone in his life, no matter how unfairly they may have treated him. He preferred to swallow his tears, suppress his anger and bit…
Ba JinBa Jin quote #1