'The fact is that he [Richard Owen] made a prodigious blunder... and now his only chance is to be silent & let people forget the exposure!' THH to J.D. Hooker 27 April 1861 about Owen's view on human and ape brains; and of course Owen was not silent.[1]
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker accuses a rival of making a major error in reasoning and suggests the best way to avoid embarrassment is silence.
- In plain terms
- He made a big mistake and should stay quiet to hide it.
- What can you take from it?
- Silence is often a defense mechanism for avoiding exposure.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you react when proven wrong?
- Is silence ever the right move?
Another view
Staying silent does not stop the community from investigating the claim.
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