Only presidents, editors and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we'.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The use of the editorial 'we' is restricted to a narrow group of authority figures or conditions.
- In plain terms
- Only big leaders, writers, or sick people can use the word 'we' in editorials.
- What can you take from it?
- Pretending to speak for everyone is usually limited to specific roles.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who speaks for the public?
- Why do editors use 'we'?
Another view
The restriction is humorous hyperbole rather than a literal rule.
More from Mark Twain
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.
Permalink to quote #181 Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it.
Permalink to quote #183 The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.
Permalink to quote #180
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