--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The wages of pedantry is pain." description: "\"The wages of pedantry is pain.\" — Carroll O'Connor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg" --- # The wages of pedantry is pain. ![“The wages of pedantry is pain.” quote by Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg) > “The wages of pedantry is pain.” [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive attention to detail leads to suffering; over‑analysis can become a burden. **In simple terms:** Being overly precise causes pain. Key Takeaway Balance precision with practicality. Themes detail pain overanalysis balance Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type humorous insightful When to use this quote - workplace - academic research - personal projects Key Concepts perfectionism stress mental health Questions to Reflect On - When have you let detail overwhelm you? - What strategies help you stay focused on the big picture? A Different Perspective Too much focus on minutiae can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pedantry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pedantry/) [Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wages/) ## Related quotes > [Pedantry and mastery are opposite attitudes toward rules. To apply a rule to the letter, rigidly, unquestioningly, in cases where it fits and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-polya/pedantry-and-mastery-are-opposite-attitudes-toward-rules-to-apply-a/) [George Polya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-polya/) > [Pedantry in learning is like hypocrisy inn religion--a form of knowledge without the power of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/pedantry-in-learning-is-like-hypocrisy-inn-religion-a-form-of/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The brains of a pedant however full, are vacant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/the-brains-of-a-pedant-however-full-are-vacant/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [ The most ingenious men are now agreed, that \[universities\] are only nurseries of prejudice, corruption, barbarism, and pedantry. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-berkeley/the-most-ingenious-men-are-now-agreed-that-universities-are-only/) [George Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-berkeley/) > [“Serious men," "grave persons" and "reasonable people"; favorite locutions of our sad world where egotism takes its word of command from pedantry”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/serious-men-grave-persons-and-reasonable-people-favorite-locutions-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Pedantry, in the common acceptation of the word, means an absurd ostentation of learning, and stiffness of phraseology, proceeding from a misguided knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mackenzie/pedantry-in-the-common-acceptation-of-the-word-means-an-absurd/) [Henry Mackenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mackenzie/) > [The tone of good conversation is brilliant and natural; it is neither tedious nor frivolous; it is instructive without pedantry, gay without tumultuousness, polished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-tone-of-good-conversation-is-brilliant-and-natural-it-is-neither/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Pedants make a great rout about criticism, as if it were a science of great depth, and required much pains and knowledge--criticism however is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/pedants-make-a-great-rout-about-criticism-as-if-it-were-a-science-of/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [Also, what mountains of dead ashes, wreck and burnt bones, does assiduous pedantry dig up from the past time and name it History.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/also-what-mountains-of-dead-ashes-wreck-and-burnt-bones-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Though pedantry denies, It's plain the Bible means That Solomon grew wise While talking with his queens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/though-pedantry-denies-it-s-plain-the-bible-means-that-solomon-grew/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Robespierre, this pedant of freedom!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/robespierre-this-pedant-of-freedom/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Pedantry can help financially, but not personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/pedantry-can-help-financially-but-not-personally/) Mak\_786 > [Of course, we can distinguish between males and females; we can also, if we choose, distinguish between different age categories; but any more advanced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/of-course-we-can-distinguish-between-males-and-females-we-can-also-if/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [Pedantry and bigotry are millstones, able to sink the best book which carries the least part of their dead weight. The temper of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/pedantry-and-bigotry-are-millstones-able-to-sink-the-best-book-which/) [Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/) > [A taxonomy of abilities, like a taxonomy anywhere else in science, is apt to strike a certain type of impatient student as a gratuitous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-cattell/a-taxonomy-of-abilities-like-a-taxonomy-anywhere-else-in-science-is/) [Raymond Cattell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-cattell/) ## More by Carroll O'Connor > [I hate pride, but if I were going to be proud of anything it would have to be something I'd done myself. Race pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/i-hate-pride-but-if-i-were-going-to-be-proud-of-anything-it-would/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [I do talk less now because the sound of my voice saying over and over the things I said years ago embarrasses and depresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/i-do-talk-less-now-because-the-sound-of-my-voice-saying-over-and-over/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [One irreducible residual of 38 years in the business is the number of lasting, loving friendships I have made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/one-irreducible-residual-of-38-years-in-the-business-is-the-number-of/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [We don't really need reviewers, just first-night reporters who will tell us faithfully whether or not the audience liked the show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/we-don-t-really-need-reviewers-just-first-night-reporters-who-will/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [My professional life in Hollywood has been filled with joy and laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/my-professional-life-in-hollywood-has-been-filled-with-joy-and/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [Some people thought we were presenting Archie as a false character. President Nixon thought we were making a fool out of a good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/some-people-thought-we-were-presenting-archie-as-a-false-character/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [The reviewer is a singularly detested enemy because he is, unlike the hapless artist, invulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/the-reviewer-is-a-singularly-detested-enemy-because-he-is-unlike-the/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [Half the pictures directed by men of reputation fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/half-the-pictures-directed-by-men-of-reputation-fail/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [I have heard show business characterized as a refuge for childlike persons in flight from all things harsh and real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/i-have-heard-show-business-characterized-as-a-refuge-for-childlike/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [Nothing but the heart can change the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/nothing-but-the-heart-can-change-the-heart/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [It's the character that is the strongest that God gives the most challenges to. Take your struggles as a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/it-s-the-character-that-is-the-strongest-that-god-gives-the-most/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [Talent can be developed, gift is God-given. But artists have both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/talent-can-be-developed-gift-is-god-given-but-artists-have-both/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [Not all celebrities are dunces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/not-all-celebrities-are-dunces/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [In a capitalist society, persons who create capital, like Michael Eisner, are given the staggering rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/in-a-capitalist-society-persons-who-create-capital-like-michael/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [It was a lack of system that made the '30s Depression as inevitable as all others previously suffered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/it-was-a-lack-of-system-that-made-the-30s-depression-as-inevitable-as/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) [Explore all 32 Carroll O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) ## More Pain quotes > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [It hurts wanting the best for someone you love, even if they feel the best isn't you. That's real love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-wanting-the-best-for-someone-you-love-even-if-they-feel-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tryna hide this pain with these pain killers, she said the storms only will last a little while but shit it got me feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/tryna-hide-this-pain-with-these-pain-killers-she-said-the-storms-only/) Myself > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“What is there, in the mention of Time To Come, that is so quick to wrench at the heart, to inflict a pain in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/what-is-there-in-the-mention-of-time-to-come-that-is-so-quick-to/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) [Browse all 17,919 Pain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The wages of pedantry is pain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carroll O'Connor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Pain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/carroll-o-connor-19438_pain_the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain-1145796_1145796.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The wages of pedantry is pain.” — Carroll O'Connor", "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": "Carroll O'Connor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The wages of pedantry is pain.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/the-wages-of-pedantry-is-pain/#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 } } ] } ```