I have come to believe that large print, thick and heavy…
“I have come to believe that large print, thick and heavy paper, and wide margins and oversize leading is indicative of the expected intelligence of the reader. … Compare children's books and books on Web Duhsign or other X-in-21-days books. If the reading level of a specification is below college level, chances are the people behind it are morons and the result morose.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote criticizes the tendency to judge a document’s quality by its physical presentation, implying that dense, formal formatting signals higher intelligence, while simpler formats suggest low competence.
In simple terms: Judging work by its look can be misleading.
Key Takeaway
Don’t equate layout with intellect.
Themes
appearance
judgment
communication
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
observational
analytical
When to use this quote
- technical documentation
- academic papers
- marketing materials
Key Concepts
cognitive bias
design perception
Questions to Reflect On
- Does a book’s design reflect its content quality?
- How can we avoid superficial judgments?