I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying that I approved of it.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Twain mocks sending condolences while simultaneously approving of the funeral or the death.
- In plain terms
- He sends a polite note approving of a funeral he didn't attend.
- What can you take from it?
- Be genuine in condolences rather than performative.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is attending a funeral more important than the note?
Another view
Sometimes sending a letter is all one can do.
More from Mark Twain
France is miserable because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable because they live in France.
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Permalink to quote #170 Every generalization is false, including this one.
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