--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The banalities of a great man pass for wit." description: "\"The banalities of a great man pass for wit.\" — Alexander Chase" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg" --- # The banalities of a great man pass for wit. ![“The banalities of a great man pass for wit.” quote by Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg) > “The banalities of a great man pass for wit.” [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great people's trivial remarks are often mistaken for wit. **In simple terms:** Great men’s small comments seem witty. Key Takeaway Discern depth beyond surface humor. Themes wit perception greatness triviality Mood analytical skeptical Type literary observational When to use this quote - reading biographies - social interactions - public speaking Key Concepts intelligence communication humor Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess true insight? - When should you question apparent wit? A Different Perspective Not all witty remarks are profound. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [“Only the penitent man will pass...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-macgregor/only-the-penitent-man-will-pass/) [Rob MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-macgregor/) > [A man might pass for insane who should see things as they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/a-man-might-pass-for-insane-who-should-see-things-as-they-are/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [Comedy is good at analysing and dealing with evil because it doesn't present it as evil but a collection of banalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farr/comedy-is-good-at-analysing-and-dealing-with-evil-because-it-doesn-t/) [David Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farr/) > [Even when there are banalities, they're usually kind of benign banalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mckean/even-when-there-are-banalities-they-re-usually-kind-of-benign/) [Michael McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mckean/) > [“In the face of death, he had nothing to lose by speaking of the intimacies of love. Yet, in the face of life, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-brooker/in-the-face-of-death-he-had-nothing-to-lose-by-speaking-of-the/) Gerard Brooker > [The great work of art is the complete banality, and the fault with most banalities is that they are not banal enough. Banality here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asger-jorn/the-great-work-of-art-is-the-complete-banality-and-the-fault-with/) [Asger Jorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asger-jorn/) > [There is no blue without yellow and without orange, and if you put in blue, then you must put in yellow, and orange too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-is-no-blue-without-yellow-and-without-orange-and-if-you-put-in/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [No man can pass into eternity, for he is already in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-man-can-pass-into-eternity-for-he-is-already-in-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man will pass better through the world with a thousand open errors upon his back than in being detected in one sly falsehood.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/a-man-will-pass-better-through-the-world-with-a-thousand-open-errors/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let each man pass his days in that endeavor wherein his gift is greatest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/propertius/let-each-man-pass-his-days-in-that-endeavor-wherein-his-gift-is/) [Propertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/propertius/) > [The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/the-world-turns-aside-to-let-any-man-pass-who-knows-where-he-is-going/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“…Whatever is done for man will pass, yet all that is done for God will last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-chapell/whatever-is-done-for-man-will-pass-yet-all-that-is-done-for-god-will/) [Bryan Chapell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-chapell/) > [The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows whither he is going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starr-jordan/the-world-turns-aside-to-let-any-man-pass-who-knows-whither-he-is/) [David Starr Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starr-jordan/) > [Let each man pass his days in that wherein his skill is greatest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sextus-propertius/let-each-man-pass-his-days-in-that-wherein-his-skill-is-greatest/) Sextus Propertius > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) ## More by Alexander Chase > [When a machine begins to run without human aid, it is time to scrap it - whether it be a factory or a government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/when-a-machine-begins-to-run-without-human-aid-it-is-time-to-scrap-it/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [More and more people care about religious tolerance as fewer and fewer care about religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/more-and-more-people-care-about-religious-tolerance-as-fewer-and/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [To remain young one must change. The perpetual campus hero is not a young man but an old boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/to-remain-young-one-must-change-the-perpetual-campus-hero-is-not-a/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [Memory is the thing you forget with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/memory-is-the-thing-you-forget-with/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [Psychiatry's chief contribution to philosophy is the discovery that the toilet is the seat of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/psychiatry-s-chief-contribution-to-philosophy-is-the-discovery-that/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [To remain young one must change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/to-remain-young-one-must-change/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [People, like sheep, tend to follow a leader - occasionally in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/people-like-sheep-tend-to-follow-a-leader-occasionally-in-the-right/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [A soft refusal is not always taken, but a rude one is immediately believed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/a-soft-refusal-is-not-always-taken-but-a-rude-one-is-immediately/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [There are few successful adults who were not first successful children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/there-are-few-successful-adults-who-were-not-first-successful-children/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [The most imaginative people are the most credulous, for them everything is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/the-most-imaginative-people-are-the-most-credulous-for-them/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [A shocking occurrence ceases to be shocking when it occurs daily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/a-shocking-occurrence-ceases-to-be-shocking-when-it-occurs-daily/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [To understand is to forgive, even oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/to-understand-is-to-forgive-even-oneself/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [Lovers of air travel find it exhilarating to hang poised between the illusion of immortality and the fact of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/lovers-of-air-travel-find-it-exhilarating-to-hang-poised-between-the/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) > [A man's home is his wife's castle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/a-man-s-home-is-his-wife-s-castle/) [Alexander Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) [Explore all 15 Alexander Chase quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/) ## More Great quotes > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [I'm very proud of some of the stories I've been given thanks to the team at 'Emmerdale,' they've been great over the years so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-fletcher/i-m-very-proud-of-some-of-the-stories-i-ve-been-given-thanks-to-the/) [Kelvin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-fletcher/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [No matter how many great things you say about Jacques Pepin, there's always more. Through his books and videos, he taught me the importance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenji-lopez-alt/no-matter-how-many-great-things-you-say-about-jacques-pepin-there-s/) [J. Kenji Lopez-Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenji-lopez-alt/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I always bump into people that Ive met. Not great friends, but if I bump into somebody Ive known and I wont recognise them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-franchitti/i-always-bump-into-people-that-ive-met-not-great-friends-but-if-i/) [Dario Franchitti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-franchitti/) > [Performance matters because games are built on great performance, but form factor and energy efficiency matter incredibly because they want to build something that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jensen-huang/performance-matters-because-games-are-built-on-great-performance-but/) [Jensen Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jensen-huang/) > [I'm a lot of things, but none of them are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-nelson/i-m-a-lot-of-things-but-none-of-them-are-great/) [Don Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-nelson/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) Browse all 24,273 Great quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The banalities of a great man pass for wit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Chase" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-wit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Great" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-wit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb4/alexander-chase-33425_great_the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-w_221952.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The banalities of a great man pass for wit.” — Alexander Chase", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander Chase", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chase/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The banalities of a great man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-wit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chase/the-banalities-of-a-great-man-pass-for-wit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```