--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to avoid heated arguments…" description: "\"If you want to avoid heated arguments, never discuss religion, politics, or whether the toilet paper roll should go over or under.\" — Al Yankovic" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/al-yankovic-3837_argument_if-you-want-to-avoid-heated-arguments-ne_2058940.png" --- # If you want to avoid heated arguments, never discuss… ![“If you want to avoid heated arguments, never discuss religion, politics, or whether the toilet paper roll should go over or under.” quote by Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/al-yankovic-3837_argument_if-you-want-to-avoid-heated-arguments-ne_2058940.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/al-yankovic-3837_argument_if-you-want-to-avoid-heated-arguments-ne_2058940.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/al-yankovic-3837_argument_if-you-want-to-avoid-heated-arguments-ne_2058940.png) > “If you want to avoid heated arguments, never discuss religion, politics, or whether the toilet paper roll should go over or under.” [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoiding contentious topics like religion, politics, or trivial disputes prevents heated arguments. **In simple terms:** Skip hot topics to stay peaceful. Key Takeaway Steer clear of divisive subjects. Themes communication conflict avoidance social etiquette Mood light‑hearted practical Type advisory humorous When to use this quote - family gatherings - online discussions - work meetings Key Concepts psychology sociology Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to address controversial topics? - How can you discuss them constructively? A Different Perspective Some issues may need discussion despite tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid/) [Avoid Heated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-heated-3918119/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Election day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election-day/) [Heated Arguments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heated-arguments-3918118/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Toilet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-toilet-3918120/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-politics/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Toilet paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toilet-paper/) [Toilets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toilets/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-avoid-312203/) ## Related quotes > [If the world was run by women, it would be mostly peaceful with heated arguments every 28 days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-straub/if-the-world-was-run-by-women-it-would-be-mostly-peaceful-with-heated/) [Alec Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-straub/) > [Some people begets small issues into heated arguments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuvika/some-people-begets-small-issues-into-heated-arguments/) [Yuvika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuvika/) > [“Work. Like pain, I sensed that this was an experience I would want to avoid as often as possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/work-like-pain-i-sensed-that-this-was-an-experience-i-would-want-to/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [“He’s making me deal with things I want to avoid. He’s making me dig in to the pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-young/he-s-making-me-deal-with-things-i-want-to-avoid-he-s-making-me-dig-in/) [Suzanne Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-young/) > [I think I hate cynicism more than anything else. It's the curse of our age, and I want to avoid it at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-think-i-hate-cynicism-more-than-anything-else-it-s-the-curse-of-our/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [Grief is the price we pay for being close to one another. If we want to avoid our grief, we simply avoid each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lynch/grief-is-the-price-we-pay-for-being-close-to-one-another-if-we-want/) [Thomas Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lynch/) > [I want to avoid people, because there’s only one thing worse than being homeless, and that’s people who are not, knowing that you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stone/i-want-to-avoid-people-because-there-s-only-one-thing-worse-than/) [Craig Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stone/) > [If you want to avoid weddings then attend funerals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-avoid-weddings-then-attend-funerals/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A lot of success in life and business comes from knowing what you want to avoid: early death, a bad marriage, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/a-lot-of-success-in-life-and-business-comes-from-knowing-what-you/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Full, saturated colours have an emotional significance I want to avoid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-freud/full-saturated-colours-have-an-emotional-significance-i-want-to-avoid/) [Lucian Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-freud/) > [“It makes you want to avoid, and then it makes you terribly needy. It reduces you to about five years old. It also makes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-wendell/it-makes-you-want-to-avoid-and-then-it-makes-you-terribly-needy-it/) [Julia Wendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-wendell/) > [“What you'll find, I think, is that the things you most want to avoid are the things that make you feel the greatest when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-wilson/what-you-ll-find-i-think-is-that-the-things-you-most-want-to-avoid/) [Kevin Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-wilson/) > [Pretending that you're very busy talking over phone when you see someone you want to avoid or don't want to talk to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghav-singh/pretending-that-you-re-very-busy-talking-over-phone-when-you-see/) [Raghav Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghav-singh/) > [“...most people were motivated not by what they want but what they want to avoid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/most-people-were-motivated-not-by-what-they-want-but-what-they-want/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [We must contemplate some extremely unpleasant possibilities, just because we want to avoid them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-wohlstetter/we-must-contemplate-some-extremely-unpleasant-possibilities-just/) [Albert Wohlstetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-wohlstetter/) ## More by Al Yankovic > [If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involved, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/if-i-could-find-the-right-kind-of-property-get-tied-in-with-the-right/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [My personal taste doesn't enter into it a lot when I make my decisions as to what to parody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/my-personal-taste-doesn-t-enter-into-it-a-lot-when-i-make-my/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [So I'm one of the few celebrities that got to do a repeat performance on 'The Simpsons,' which I'm very flattered by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/so-i-m-one-of-the-few-celebrities-that-got-to-do-a-repeat-performance/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [Somebody will come up to me after a show and have me sign their arm, and the next time I see them my autograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/somebody-will-come-up-to-me-after-a-show-and-have-me-sign-their-arm/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [People say releasing an album is like giving birth, but it’s more like having a gallbladder operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/people-say-releasing-an-album-is-like-giving-birth-but-it-s-more-like/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [So that's why one of my rules of parody writing is that it's gotta be funny regardless of whether you know the source material.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/so-that-s-why-one-of-my-rules-of-parody-writing-is-that-it-s-gotta-be/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [I write and write and write, and then I edit it down to the parts that I think are amusing, or that help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-write-and-write-and-write-and-then-i-edit-it-down-to-the-parts-that/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [I have very mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I’m concerned that the rampant downloading of my copyright-protected material over the Internet is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-have-very-mixed-feelings-about-it-on-one-hand-i-m-concerned-that/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [I can bend paper clips into the shapes of small animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-can-bend-paper-clips-into-the-shapes-of-small-animals/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [There are probably a few library fines I haven't paid yet, but I'm a pretty clean-cut guy overall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/there-are-probably-a-few-library-fines-i-haven-t-paid-yet-but-i-m-a/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [In the '80s, I was putting out an album virtually every year, I think mostly based on fear - that if I didn't, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/in-the-80s-i-was-putting-out-an-album-virtually-every-year-i-think/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [One of the hardest things I've had to deal with in my career is keeping my material topical even though I only release albums…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/one-of-the-hardest-things-i-ve-had-to-deal-with-in-my-career-is/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [I can't say enough good things about my band. I feel very fortunate that I found them when I did, very early in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-can-t-say-enough-good-things-about-my-band-i-feel-very-fortunate/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [Right now I'm listening to a lot of Top 40 music, because THAT'S MY JOB.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/right-now-i-m-listening-to-a-lot-of-top-40-music-because-that-s-my-job/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [Sometimes I get, "Have you ever thought about doing real music?" I like to think the music I do is real, it just happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/sometimes-i-get-have-you-ever-thought-about-doing-real-music-i-like/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) [Explore all 121 Al Yankovic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... 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