“We knew the fundamental differences between us. Any amount of discussion could not efface them. Yet even differences prove helpful, where there are tolerance, charity and truth.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Attributed to Gandhi's Autobiography (The Story of My Experiments with Truth); not verbatim-confirmed to the primary text.
About this quote
Disagreement does not have to split people apart. When three things are present at once, patience with each other, genuine goodwill, and honesty, the very points of difference become a source of learning rather than a wall. Take any one away and the same difference turns into a fight.
When to use it
- Two business partners with opposite instincts make sharper calls precisely because each checks the other.
- A couple who disagree about money handle it well by staying honest and assuming the best of each other.
- A study group whose members argue their views openly, but kindly, learns far more than one that just nods along.