--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A species in which everyone was General…" description: "\"“A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh. I prefer to think..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/allen-shawn-71076_cherry-blossom_a-species-in-which-everyone-was-general_592064.jpg" --- # A species in which everyone was General Patton would not… ![“A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh. I prefer to think that the planet needs athletes, philosophers, sex symbols, painters, scientists; it needs the warmhearted, the hardhearted, the coldhearted, and…” quote by Allen Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/allen-shawn-71076_cherry-blossom_a-species-in-which-everyone-was-general_592064.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/allen-shawn-71076_cherry-blossom_a-species-in-which-everyone-was-general_592064.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/allen-shawn-71076_cherry-blossom_a-species-in-which-everyone-was-general_592064.jpg) > ““A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh. I prefer to think that the planet needs athletes, philosophers, sex symbols, painters, scientists; it needs the warmhearted, the hardhearted, the coldhearted, and the weakhearted. It needs those who can devote their lives to studying how many droplets of water are secreted by the salivary glands of dogs under which circumstances, and it needs those who can capture the passing impression of cherry blossoms in a fourteen-syllable poem or devote twenty-five pages to the dissection of a small boy's feelings as he lies in bed in the dark waiting for his mother to kiss him goodnight...”” Allen Shawn ## 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 argues that society thrives on diverse talents and personalities, not a single archetype. **In simple terms:** Diversity of roles is essential for a thriving society. Key Takeaway Value and nurture varied contributions. Themes diversity talent society balance human nature Mood reflective inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - education - policy making - team building - artistic creation - scientific research Key Concepts psychology philosophy culture Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions encourage varied talents? - What roles are undervalued today? A Different Perspective A single type of person cannot fulfill all societal needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cherry blossom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherry-blossom/) [Cherry blossoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherry-blossoms/) [Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowers/) [General Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-patton/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [“A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/a-species-in-which-everyone-was-general-patton-would-not-succeed-any-2/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Some philosophers would give a sex to revenge, and appropriate it almost exclusively to the female mind. But, like most other vices, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/some-philosophers-would-give-a-sex-to-revenge-and-appropriate-it/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [For Black Label Special Opps, adversity is what you thrive on. General Patton is a huge fan favorite in Black Label.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/for-black-label-special-opps-adversity-is-what-you-thrive-on-general/) [Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/) > [“The Luxembourgers who survived Buchenwald have not forgotten. Every year since 1945, they meet at 11:30 A.M. on April 11 at the American Military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolibois/the-luxembourgers-who-survived-buchenwald-have-not-forgotten-every/) John Dolibois > [“General Patton, upon seeing the Roman ruins at Agrigento, remarked to a local expert, “Seventh Army didn’t cause that destruction, did it, sir?” The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/general-patton-upon-seeing-the-roman-ruins-at-agrigento-remarked-to-a/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“war ferrying troops to Italy for General Patton. His talent as a machinist and fireman earned him commendations, but he occasionally found himself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/war-ferrying-troops-to-italy-for-general-patton-his-talent-as-a/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [My mother was a Jewish General Patton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/my-mother-was-a-jewish-general-patton/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“Bridezellia was like General Patton she had an Operations Room, HQ established in her sitting room. Wall charts, to do lists, pictures, contact lists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-j-dunlea/bridezellia-was-like-general-patton-she-had-an-operations-room-hq/) [Annette J Dunlea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-j-dunlea/) > [“The soul was not made to run on empty. But the soul doesn’t come with a gauge. The indicators of soul-fatigue are more subtle:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-soul-was-not-made-to-run-on-empty-but-the-soul-doesn-t-come-with/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [If you look at ISIS, General MacArthur, and General Patton, they're spinning in their graves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-look-at-isis-general-macarthur-and-general-patton-they-re/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Anybody who tells you that a two-day conference, you're going to turn into the General Patton of leadership, they're not telling you the truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/anybody-who-tells-you-that-a-two-day-conference-you-re-going-to-turn/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“I don't do martial arts for trophies or for fun. I'm a fighter, and I train to win any fight I'm in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/i-don-t-do-martial-arts-for-trophies-or-for-fun-i-m-a-fighter-and-i/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [I've always been really fascinated by Vincent van Gogh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/i-ve-always-been-really-fascinated-by-vincent-van-gogh/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) > [ You cannot be the good all the time — sometimes it is necessary to get angry. \[Vincent Van Gogh\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-stone/you-cannot-be-the-good-all-the-time-sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-get/) [Irving Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-stone/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More by Allen Shawn > [Indeed the presence of outstanding strengths presupposes that energy needed in other areas has been channeled away from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-shawn/indeed-the-presence-of-outstanding-strengths-presupposes-that-energy/) Allen Shawn > [The darkest day in life is the one in which we expect something for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-shawn/the-darkest-day-in-life-is-the-one-in-which-we-expect-something-for/) Allen Shawn > [“I find a certain degree of loneliness not only tolerable but deeply pleasurable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-shawn/i-find-a-certain-degree-of-loneliness-not-only-tolerable-but-deeply/) Allen Shawn Explore all 4 Allen Shawn quotes ## More Cherry blossom quotes > [“I start to run, and my nose fills with the smell of rain and wet earth. I run along the shoulder of the highway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-harrison/i-start-to-run-and-my-nose-fills-with-the-smell-of-rain-and-wet-earth/) Jon Harrison > [“So he raced from dogwood to blossoming peach. When they thinned out he headed for the cherry blossoms, then magnolia, chinaberry, pecan, walnut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/so-he-raced-from-dogwood-to-blossoming-peach-when-they-thinned-out-he/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Let us find inner freedom in each lucky moment that we encounter, like a sun-basking butterfly that finds peace on a cherry blossom petal.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-find-inner-freedom-in-each-lucky-moment-that-we-encounter-like/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“However wildly this year's cherry blossoms bloom, I'll see them with the plum's scent filling my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ono-no-komachi/however-wildly-this-year-s-cherry-blossoms-bloom-i-ll-see-them-with/) Ono no Komachi > [“we are holding hands in the barrel of a gun. they pull the trigger, but when she is kissing me only cherry blossoms come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/topaz-winters/we-are-holding-hands-in-the-barrel-of-a-gun-they-pull-the-trigger-but/) Topaz Winters > [“Lord Karasumaru considered it a grave mistake on the part of the gods to have made a man like himself a nobleman. And, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/lord-karasumaru-considered-it-a-grave-mistake-on-the-part-of-the-gods/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [Koishikawa Korakuen Garden - one of Tokyo's oldest Japanese gardens, and one of the best spots for viewing the cherry blossoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marino/koishikawa-korakuen-garden-one-of-tokyo-s-oldest-japanese-gardens-and/) [Peter Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marino/) > [“A teahouse amid the cherry blossoms, on the way to death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/a-teahouse-amid-the-cherry-blossoms-on-the-way-to-death/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [“he said this turning his strong body to face the beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, astonishing, bewildering girl who was a princess and his one true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-ashton/he-said-this-turning-his-strong-body-to-face-the-beautiful-stunning/) J.K. Ashton > [Look at the cherry blossoms! Their color and scent fall with them, Are gone forever, Yet mindless The spring comes again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikkyu/look-at-the-cherry-blossoms-their-color-and-scent-fall-with-them-are/) [Ikkyu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikkyu/) > [I often stay in Tokyo's Daikanyama neighbourhood. You can go for a peaceful morning run along the Meguro river, and it is particularly incredible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gebbia/i-often-stay-in-tokyo-s-daikanyama-neighbourhood-you-can-go-for-a/) [Joe Gebbia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gebbia/) > [Outside it's a perfect spring night. We stand on the sidewalk in front of our apartment building, and Henry takes my hand, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/outside-it-s-a-perfect-spring-night-we-stand-on-the-sidewalk-in-front/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman/loveliest-of-trees-the-cherry-now-is-hung-with-bloom-along-the-bough/) [A. E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman/) > [If I were asked to explain the Japanese spirit, I would say it is wild cherry blossoms glowing in the morning sun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/motoori-norinaga/if-i-were-asked-to-explain-the-japanese-spirit-i-would-say-it-is-wild/) Motoori Norinaga > [ The first time I saw a fingerbowl was at the home of my benefactress. \[...\] The water had a few cherry blossoms in it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-first-time-i-saw-a-fingerbowl-was-at-the-home-of-my-benefactress/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) [Browse all 92 Cherry blossom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherry-blossom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh. 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