“Anger and intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding.”
Share this quote
Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Gandhi, quoted in the UNESCO anthology 'All Men Are Brothers' (p.105); authentic to his writings, but the underlying dated primary was not pinned.
About this quote
You can't weigh a situation fairly while anger is running the show, or while you've already decided the other side is beneath hearing. Both states narrow what you're willing to take in, so the picture forms distorted before you even begin. Cooling off first is a precondition for seeing straight.
When to use it
- Rereading a sharp email the next morning and realizing the 'insult' was just a typo.
- A juror setting aside personal disgust long enough to actually weigh the evidence.
- Two neighbors settling a fence dispute only once both stop assuming bad faith.