--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No generality has any weight whatever. It…" description: "\"No generality has any weight whatever. It is like saying \"how do you do?\" When you have no intention of inquiring about ones health. But specific claim..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/claude-c-hopkins-11799_claims_no-generality-has-any-weight-whatever-it_1284302.jpg" --- # No generality has any weight whatever. It is like saying… ![“No generality has any weight whatever. It is like saying "how do you do?" When you have no intention of inquiring about ones health. But specific claims when made in print are taken at their value” quote by Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/claude-c-hopkins-11799_claims_no-generality-has-any-weight-whatever-it_1284302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/claude-c-hopkins-11799_claims_no-generality-has-any-weight-whatever-it_1284302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e4/claude-c-hopkins-11799_claims_no-generality-has-any-weight-whatever-it_1284302.jpg) > “No generality has any weight whatever. It is like saying "how do you do?" When you have no intention of inquiring about ones health. But specific claims when made in print are taken at their value” [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Specific, measurable claims hold value, unlike vague generalities. **In simple terms:** Specific claims matter more than vague ones. Key Takeaway Focus on precise, testable statements. Themes precision advertising communication Mood analytical critical Type informative educational When to use this quote - product descriptions - business proposals - academic writing Key Concepts marketing theory logic critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you make your claims more specific? - When is a general statement useful? A Different Perspective Vague statements can still be persuasive in emotional contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Generalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalities/) [Generality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generality/) [Generality Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generality-weight-4161021/) [Health Specific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-specific-4161023/) [Inquiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inquiring/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Print](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/print/) [Specific Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specific-claims-4161022/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) [Weight Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight-like-333829/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It is good sense applied with diligence to what was at first a mere accident, and which by great application grew to be called,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-good-sense-applied-with-diligence-to-what-was-at-first-a-mere/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [ Euclid avoids it \[the treatment of the infinite\]; in modern mathematics it is systematically introduced, for only then is generality obtained. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-cayley/euclid-avoids-it-the-treatment-of-the-infinite-in-modern-mathematics/) [Arthur Cayley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-cayley/) > [The generality of men are so accustomed to judge of things by their senses that, because the air is indivisible, they ascribe but little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-boyle/the-generality-of-men-are-so-accustomed-to-judge-of-things-by-their/) [Robert Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-boyle/) > [It is certain that the easy and obvious philosophy will always, with the generality of mankind, have preference above the accurate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-certain-that-the-easy-and-obvious-philosophy-will-always-with/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [All that is alive tends toward color, individuality, specificity, effectiveness and opacity. All that is done with life inclines toward knowledge, abstraction, generality transfiguration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-that-is-alive-tends-toward-color-individuality-specificity/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We must not always judge of the generality of the opinion by the noise of the acclamation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/we-must-not-always-judge-of-the-generality-of-the-opinion-by-the/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Everything that is hard to attain is easily assailed by the generality of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ptolemy/everything-that-is-hard-to-attain-is-easily-assailed-by-the/) [Ptolemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ptolemy/) > [I think there is a blossom about me of something more distinguished than the generality of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/i-think-there-is-a-blossom-about-me-of-something-more-distinguished/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [...the source of all great mathematics is the special case, the concrete example. It is frequent in mathematics that every instance of a concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-halmos/the-source-of-all-great-mathematics-is-the-special-case-the-concrete/) [Paul Halmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-halmos/) > [The generality of men have, like plants, latent properties, which chance brings to light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-generality-of-men-have-like-plants-latent-properties-which-chance/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The opinion I have of the generality of women--who appear to me as children to whom I would rather give a sugar plum than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/the-opinion-i-have-of-the-generality-of-women-who-appear-to-me-as/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Conventions of generality and mathematical elegance may be just as much barriers to the attainment and diffusion of knowledge as may contentment with particularity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/conventions-of-generality-and-mathematical-elegance-may-be-just-as/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [God is basic Fact. He must not be thought of as a featureless generality. He is the most concrete thing there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/god-is-basic-fact-he-must-not-be-thought-of-as-a-featureless/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To the generality of men you cannot give a stronger hint for them to impose upon you than by imposing upon yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/to-the-generality-of-men-you-cannot-give-a-stronger-hint-for-them-to/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Philosophy is explicitness, generality, orientation and assessment. That which one would insinuate, thereof one must speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gellner/philosophy-is-explicitness-generality-orientation-and-assessment-that/) [Ernest Gellner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gellner/) ## More by Claude C. Hopkins > [Never be led in new paths by the blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/never-be-led-in-new-paths-by-the-blind/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Curiosity is one of the strongest human incentives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/curiosity-is-one-of-the-strongest-human-incentives/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [In the old days, advertisers ventured on their own opinions. The few guess right, the many wrong. Those were the time of advertising disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/in-the-old-days-advertisers-ventured-on-their-own-opinions-the-few/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Don't, to gain general and useless attention, sacrifice the attention that you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/don-t-to-gain-general-and-useless-attention-sacrifice-the-attention/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Scientific advertising has altered many old plans and conceptions. It has proved many long established methods to be folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/scientific-advertising-has-altered-many-old-plans-and-conceptions-it/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Whatever claim you use to gain attention, the advertisement should tell a story reasonably complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/whatever-claim-you-use-to-gain-attention-the-advertisement-should/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Remember the people you address are selfish, as we all are. They care nothing about your interests or profit. They seek service for themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/remember-the-people-you-address-are-selfish-as-we-all-are-they-care/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Lust is a monstrous sin which altereth, marreth, and drieth the body, weakening all the joints and members, making the face bubbled and yellow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/lust-is-a-monstrous-sin-which-altereth-marreth-and-drieth-the-body/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Don't think of people in the mass. This gives you a blurred view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/don-t-think-of-people-in-the-mass-this-gives-you-a-blurred-view/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Platitudes and generalities roll of the human understanding like water from a duck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/platitudes-and-generalities-roll-of-the-human-understanding-like/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [The right name is an advertisement in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/the-right-name-is-an-advertisement-in-itself/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [People will not be bored. They may listen politely at a dinner table to boasts and personalities, life history, etc. But in print they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/people-will-not-be-bored-they-may-listen-politely-at-a-dinner-table/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [The only purpose of advertising is to make sales. It is profitable or unprofitable according to its actual sales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/the-only-purpose-of-advertising-is-to-make-sales-it-is-profitable-or/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Impressive claims are made far more impressive by making them exact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/impressive-claims-are-made-far-more-impressive-by-making-them-exact/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) > [Advertising is much like war, minus the venom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-c-hopkins/advertising-is-much-like-war-minus-the-venom/) [Claude C. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) [Explore all 58 Claude C. Hopkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-c-hopkins/) ## More Claims quotes > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [We do not claim that punning is legitimate wit. Wit consists in combination of ideas, punning in combination of words only. We wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-hosmer/we-do-not-claim-that-punning-is-legitimate-wit-wit-consists-in/) [Harriet Hosmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-hosmer/) > [It is popular to call it a crisis of the Western world. It is in fact a crisis of the whole world. Communism, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/it-is-popular-to-call-it-a-crisis-of-the-western-world-it-is-in-fact/) [Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/) > [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. 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/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [The rights essential to happiness. . . . We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Those who do not know what love is likens it to beauty Those who claim to know what love is likens it to ugliness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/those-who-do-not-know-what-love-is-likens-it-to-beauty-those-who/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [If ever my life can be of any use to you, come and claim it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-ever-my-life-can-be-of-any-use-to-you-come-and-claim-it/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Life is so full of meaning and of purpose, so full of beauty - beneath its covering - that you will find that earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-giocondo/life-is-so-full-of-meaning-and-of-purpose-so-full-of-beauty-beneath/) [Giovanni Giocondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-giocondo/) [Browse all 2,762 Claims quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No generality has any weight whatever. It is like saying \"how do you do?\" When you have no intention of inquiring about ones health. But specific claims when made in print are taken at their value", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claude C. 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