Familiarity breeds contempt - and children.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Twain suggests that knowing someone too well leads to disrespect, but also to having children.
- In plain terms
- Being too close to someone makes you dislike them, but it also makes families.
- What can you take from it?
- Close relationships have mixed outcomes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does familiarity always reduce respect?
- How to maintain respect in close bonds?
Another view
It oversimplifies the benefits of familiarity.
More from Mark Twain
The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them.
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