Topic

Explanation

Explanation is the human attempt to turn confusion into understanding. The topic of explanation appears in these quotes with both seriousness and skepticism. Some authors treat explanation as a test of comprehension, arguing that if you cannot express an idea plainly, you do not yet grasp it. Others warn that endless explaining can become a trap that wastes time, protects ego, or avoids action. The tension is valuable: explanation can illuminate reality, but it can also become noise when used defensively. Read together, these lines propose a higher standard for thinking and communication. Explain what matters, explain it clearly, and stop when explanation no longer serves truth or progress. In this sense, explanation is less about winning arguments and more about building shared clarity in real situations. Use this collection as a check on your own habits: simplify what is unclear, question what is overcomplicated, and communicate so that understanding actually moves something forward for you and for others.

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Truth can never be told so as to be understood, and not be believed

Source: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790-1793)

There is no waste of time in life like that of making explanations

When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained

You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother

If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself

I always felt that the great high privilege, relief and comfort of friendship was that one had to explain nothing

Never explain - your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway

The mediator of the inexpressible is the work of art.