--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It irritates me to be told how things…" description: "\"It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind.\" — Clara Barton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/clara-barton-16924_closed-mind_it-irritates-me-to-be-told-how-things-ha_3222934.png" --- # It irritates me to be told how things have always been… ![“It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind.” quote by Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/clara-barton-16924_closed-mind_it-irritates-me-to-be-told-how-things-ha_3222934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/clara-barton-16924_closed-mind_it-irritates-me-to-be-told-how-things-ha_3222934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/clara-barton-16924_closed-mind_it-irritates-me-to-be-told-how-things-ha_3222934.png) > “It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. I cannot afford the luxury of a closed mind.” [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects outdated norms, insisting on open‑mindedness and innovation. **In simple terms:** Reject old habits; stay open. Key Takeaway Challenge tradition, stay adaptable. Themes innovation open‑mindedness defiance Mood determined optimistic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - business strategy - educational reform - social activism - personal growth Key Concepts progress critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - Which traditions still serve you? - How can you balance respect for the past with new ideas? A Different Perspective Risk of dismissing valuable experience in favor of novelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Closed mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closed-mind/) [Defy Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defy-tyranny-6066330/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Irritates Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irritates-told-6066329/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Powerful women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-women/) [Precedent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedent/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Told Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-things/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Tyranny Precedent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny-precedent-4870124/) ## Related quotes > [I have an almost complete disregard of precedent, and a faith in the possibility of something better. It irritates me to be told how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-have-an-almost-complete-disregard-of-precedent-and-a-faith-in-the/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I told them to be happy, when I'm most certainly not. I told them things will get better, when I doubt that they ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-told-them-to-be-happy-when-i-m-most-certainly-not-i-told-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She is told all the things she shouldn’t have done: She shouldn’t have waited so long before going to the police. She shouldn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/she-is-told-all-the-things-she-shouldn-t-have-done-she-shouldn-t-have/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [His dress told her nothing, but his face told her things which she was glad to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/his-dress-told-her-nothing-but-his-face-told-her-things-which-she-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was in your spot once, he looked at me and told me all the same things you hear now. I think its funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latest/i-was-in-your-spot-once-he-looked-at-me-and-told-me-all-the-same/) [Latest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latest/) > [As a kid you're always going to be told you can't do things for certain reasons, and to an extent that's okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruel/as-a-kid-you-re-always-going-to-be-told-you-can-t-do-things-for/) [Ruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruel/) > [“What do you mean I didn’t answer your question? I told you everything about me. I told you something personal.” My jaw was slack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nash-summers/what-do-you-mean-i-didn-t-answer-your-question-i-told-you-everything/) [Nash Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nash-summers/) > [“This is was what their mothers would say if she and her cousins ever told them the things they folded inside their hearts. Twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-marie-mclemore/this-is-was-what-their-mothers-would-say-if-she-and-her-cousins-ever/) [Anna-Marie McLemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-marie-mclemore/) > [I think about my education sometimes. I went to the University of Chicago for awhile after the Second World War. I was a student…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-think-about-my-education-sometimes-i-went-to-the-university-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The good story lay in half-told things which must be filled in out of the hearer’s own experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-good-story-lay-in-half-told-things-which-must-be-filled-in-out-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Yeah how many times have we told you not to put things in your mouth! Especially me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tweety-bird/yeah-how-many-times-have-we-told-you-not-to-put-things-in-your-mouth/) [Tweety Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tweety-bird/) > [“Maybe I . . . shouldn’t tell him what I thought I’d heard. Not until I knew more. How exactly would I put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/maybe-i-shouldn-t-tell-him-what-i-thought-i-d-heard-not-until-i-knew/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [“We are not told of things that happened to specific people exactly as they happened; but the beginning is when there are good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murasaki-shikibu/we-are-not-told-of-things-that-happened-to-specific-people-exactly-as/) [Murasaki Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murasaki-shikibu/) > [“They were all fitting into place, the jig-saw pieces. The odd strained shapes that I had tried to piece together with my fumbling fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/they-were-all-fitting-into-place-the-jig-saw-pieces-the-odd-strained/) [Daphne Du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [I've asked about you, and they've told me things. my mind didn't change, girl I still feel the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-ve-asked-about-you-and-they-ve-told-me-things-my-mind-didn-t-change/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) ## More by Clara Barton > [I founded the American Red Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-founded-the-american-red-cross/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [“The surest test of discipline is it's absence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-surest-test-of-discipline-is-it-s-absence/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I don't know how long it has been since my ear has been free from the roll of a drum. It is the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-don-t-know-how-long-it-has-been-since-my-ear-has-been-free-from-the/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [The Red Cross in its nature, it aims and purposes, and consequently, its methods, is unlike any other organization in the country.It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-red-cross-in-its-nature-it-aims-and-purposes-and-consequently-its/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [People should not say that this or that is not worth learning, giving as their reason that it will not be put to use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/people-should-not-say-that-this-or-that-is-not-worth-learning-giving/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [You must never so much think as whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/you-must-never-so-much-think-as-whether-you-like-it-or-not-whether-it/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [It is wise statesmanship which suggests that in time of peace we must prepare for war, and it is no less a wise benevolence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/it-is-wise-statesmanship-which-suggests-that-in-time-of-peace-we-must/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man's work for less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-may-sometimes-be-willing-to-teach-for-nothing-but-if-paid-at-all-i/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-may-be-compelled-to-face-danger-but-never-fear-it-and-while-our/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [What could I do but go with them Civil War soldiers, or work for them and my country? The patriot blood of my father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/what-could-i-do-but-go-with-them-civil-war-soldiers-or-work-for-them/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I don't know how long it has been since my ear has been free from the roll of a drum. It is the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-don-t-know-how-long-it-has-been-since-my-ear-has-been-free-from-the-2/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [The patriot blood of my father was warm in my veins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-patriot-blood-of-my-father-was-warm-in-my-veins/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [A ball had passed between my body and the right arm which supported him, cutting through the sleeve and passing through his chest from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/a-ball-had-passed-between-my-body-and-the-right-arm-which-supported/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [Although its growth may seem to have been slow, it is to be remembered that it is not a shrub, or plant, to shoot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/although-its-growth-may-seem-to-have-been-slow-it-is-to-be-remembered/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [Economy, prudence, and a simple life are the sure masters of need, and will often accomplish that which, their opposites, with a fortune at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/economy-prudence-and-a-simple-life-are-the-sure-masters-of-need-and/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) [Explore all 38 Clara Barton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) ## More Closed mind quotes > [Bridge the gap with closed minds though careful dissection of ideas and solid presentation of fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximillian-degenerez/bridge-the-gap-with-closed-minds-though-careful-dissection-of-ideas/) [Maximillian Degenerez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximillian-degenerez/) > [Closed minds do not inspire faith, courage, and belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/closed-minds-do-not-inspire-faith-courage-and-belief/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“With her mouth closed, her mind screamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-charlo/with-her-mouth-closed-her-mind-screamed/) [Julia Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-charlo/) > [Why do people with closed minds always open their mouths?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/why-do-people-with-closed-minds-always-open-their-mouths/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [The hardest thing to open is a closed mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-kathrada/the-hardest-thing-to-open-is-a-closed-mind/) [Ahmed Kathrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-kathrada/) > [The problem with closed mind people is that their mouth is always open ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-problem-with-closed-mind-people-is-that-their-mouth-is-always-open/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Closed minds seldom open doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/closed-minds-seldom-open-doors/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [“Extremism is marked by a closed mind and a meanness of spirit - unwilling to listen, unwilling to reason, unwilling to compromise, unwilling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-overmire/extremism-is-marked-by-a-closed-mind-and-a-meanness-of-spirit/) [Laurence Overmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-overmire/) > [We live in a big world, and it is important for us to be aware of culture other than our own. Learn something new,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-live-in-a-big-world-and-it-is-important-for-us-to-be-aware-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [What makes me angry is closed mindedness, prejudice against those who are different from you, reveling in one's own ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinkx-monsoon/what-makes-me-angry-is-closed-mindedness-prejudice-against-those-who/) [Jinkx Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinkx-monsoon/) > [A closed mind is a good thing to lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/a-closed-mind-is-a-good-thing-to-lose/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/) > [“Mara’s hand is in my hair as I lean my head back against the cracked leather seat, eyes closed, mind ruminating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/mara-s-hand-is-in-my-hair-as-i-lean-my-head-back-against-the-cracked/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [If you choose to have a closed mind, please choose to have a closed mouth as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/if-you-choose-to-have-a-closed-mind-please-choose-to-have-a-closed/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [In Japan we have the phrase, "Shoshin," which means "beginner's mind." Our "original mind" includes everything within itself. It is always rich and sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/in-japan-we-have-the-phrase-shoshin-which-means-beginner-s-mind-our/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [“I'm not sure what is worse, a closed mind or a closed book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/i-m-not-sure-what-is-worse-a-closed-mind-or-a-closed-book/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) [Browse all 95 Closed mind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closed-mind/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It irritates me to be told how things have always been done. I defy the tyranny of precedent. 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