--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why do so many ingenious theorists give…" description: "\"Why do so many ingenious theorists give fresh reasons every year for the decline of letter writing, and why do they assume, in derision of suffering hu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/agnes-repplier-1850_assuming_why-do-so-many-ingenious-theorists-give_2135374.png" --- # Why do so many ingenious theorists give fresh reasons… ![“Why do so many ingenious theorists give fresh reasons every year for the decline of letter writing, and why do they assume, in derision of suffering humanity, that it has declined? They lament the lack of leisure, the lack of sentiment ... They talk of telegrams, and telephones, and postal cards…” quote by Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/agnes-repplier-1850_assuming_why-do-so-many-ingenious-theorists-give_2135374.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/agnes-repplier-1850_assuming_why-do-so-many-ingenious-theorists-give_2135374.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/agnes-repplier-1850_assuming_why-do-so-many-ingenious-theorists-give_2135374.png) > “Why do so many ingenious theorists give fresh reasons every year for the decline of letter writing, and why do they assume, in derision of suffering humanity, that it has declined? They lament the lack of leisure, the lack of sentiment ... They talk of telegrams, and telephones, and postal cards, as if any discovery of science, any device of civilization, could eradicate from the human heart that passion for self-expression which is the impelling force of letters.” [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) ## 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 critiques the recurring claim that modern communication replaces heartfelt personal letters, emphasizing that technology cannot extinguish humanity’s innate desire to express oneself through writing. **In simple terms:** Tech can't stop our need to write letters. Key Takeaway Cherish personal expression despite new tech. Themes communication tradition human nature technology expression Mood reflective critical nostalgic Type observational commentary When to use this quote - personal correspondence - digital communication - education - literary analysis Key Concepts cultural criticism media theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does technology alter the way we share emotions? - Can digital messages ever fully replace handwritten letters? A Different Perspective New media may change form but not the emotional need for self‑expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Derision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/derision/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ingenious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingenious/) [Lament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lament/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Letter writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letter-writing/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-expression/) [Sentiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiment/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Theorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theorists/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Letter-writing on the part of a busy man or woman is the quintessence of generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/letter-writing-on-the-part-of-a-busy-man-or-woman-is-the-quintessence/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [real letter-writing ... is founded on a need as old and as young as humanity itself, the need that one human being has of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/real-letter-writing-is-founded-on-a-need-as-old-and-as-young-as/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [This telegram is a work of art if I say it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/this-telegram-is-a-work-of-art-if-i-say-it-is/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [“All six telegrams arrive at the same place together. What happens next is that you make a choice. What will it be? Most adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-six-telegrams-arrive-at-the-same-place-together-what-happens-next/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The wisdom that living brings, since I got a telegram from the God of simple things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-henley/the-wisdom-that-living-brings-since-i-got-a-telegram-from-the-god-of/) [Don Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-henley/) > [When you're expecting bad news you have to be prepared for it a long time ahead so that when the telegram comes you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pinget/when-you-re-expecting-bad-news-you-have-to-be-prepared-for-it-a-long/) Robert Pinget > [In the First World War, people would be receiving letters from loved ones who had been dead for weeks, and they would not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/in-the-first-world-war-people-would-be-receiving-letters-from-loved/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Without the letters of condolence, telegrams of congratulations and even occasional postcards, the friendship of a separated friend is not a social reality. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-douglas/without-the-letters-of-condolence-telegrams-of-congratulations-and/) [Mary Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-douglas/) > [For a brief time in the 1850s, the telegraph companies of England and the United States thought that they could (and should) preserve every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gleick/for-a-brief-time-in-the-1850s-the-telegraph-companies-of-england-and/) [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) > [Fax me a fact and I'll telegram a hologram or telephone the son of man and tell him he is done. Leave a message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-williams/fax-me-a-fact-and-i-ll-telegram-a-hologram-or-telephone-the-son-of/) [Saul Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-williams/) > [The headline is the most important element in most advertisements. It is the telegram which decides the reader whether to read the copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/the-headline-is-the-most-important-element-in-most-advertisements-it/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [“A girl who could send tear-stained telegrams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/a-girl-who-could-send-tear-stained-telegrams/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I foresee the day when we shall read nothing but telegrams and prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/i-foresee-the-day-when-we-shall-read-nothing-but-telegrams-and-prayers/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [I thought my chances to make the Braves were better and that they were being fairer to me, paying me more money to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-aaron/i-thought-my-chances-to-make-the-braves-were-better-and-that-they/) [Hank Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-aaron/) > [Many years ago, a large American shoe company sent two sales reps to different parts of the Australian outback. A while later, the company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-capozzi/many-years-ago-a-large-american-shoe-company-sent-two-sales-reps-to/) John Capozzi ## More by Agnes Repplier > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Letter-writing on the part of a busy man or woman is the quintessence of generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/letter-writing-on-the-part-of-a-busy-man-or-woman-is-the-quintessence/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [To have given pleasure to one human being is a recollection that sweetens life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/to-have-given-pleasure-to-one-human-being-is-a-recollection-that/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Believers in political faith-healing enjoy a supreme immunity from doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/believers-in-political-faith-healing-enjoy-a-supreme-immunity-from/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Philadelphians are every whit as mediocre as their neighbors, but they seldom encourage each other in mediocrity by giving it a more agreeable name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/philadelphians-are-every-whit-as-mediocre-as-their-neighbors-but-they/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [When the milk of human kindness turns sour, it is a singularly unpalatable draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/when-the-milk-of-human-kindness-turns-sour-it-is-a-singularly/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Conversation in its happiest development is a link, equally exquisite and adequate, between mind and mind, a system by which men approach one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/conversation-in-its-happiest-development-is-a-link-equally-exquisite/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [What monstrous absurdities and paradoxes have resisted whole batteries of serious arguments, and then crumbled swiftly into dust before the ringing death-knell of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/what-monstrous-absurdities-and-paradoxes-have-resisted-whole/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [the labors of the true critic are more essential to the author, even, than to the reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-labors-of-the-true-critic-are-more-essential-to-the-author-even/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/he-is-your-friend-your-partner-your-defender-your-dog-you-are-his/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Our dogs will love and admire the meanest of us, and feed our colossal vanity with their uncritical homage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/our-dogs-will-love-and-admire-the-meanest-of-us-and-feed-our-colossal/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/erudition-like-a-bloodhound-is-a-charming-thing-when-held-firmly-in/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [There was no escape from the letter-writer who, a hundred or a hundred and twenty-five years ago, captured a coveted correspondent. It would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/there-was-no-escape-from-the-letter-writer-who-a-hundred-or-a-hundred/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Sleep sweetly in the fields of asphodel, and waken, as of old, to stretch thy languid length, and purr thy soft contentment to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/sleep-sweetly-in-the-fields-of-asphodel-and-waken-as-of-old-to/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [In the stress of modern life, how little room is left for that most comfortable vanity that whispers in our ears that failures are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/in-the-stress-of-modern-life-how-little-room-is-left-for-that-most/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) [Explore all 203 Agnes Repplier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why do so many ingenious theorists give fresh reasons every year for the decline of letter writing, and why do they assume, in derision of suffering humanity, that it has declined? They lament the lack of leisure, the lack of sentiment ... 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