Accounts Quote by Douglas Adams
“It is worth repeating at this point the theories that Ford had come up with, on his first encounter with human beings, to account for their peculiar habit of continually stating and restating the very very obvious, as in "It's a nice day," or "You're very tall," or "So this is it, we're going to die." His first theory was that if human beings didn't keep exercising their lips, their mouths probably shriveled up. After a few months of observation he had come up with a second theory, which was this--"If human beings don't keep exercising their lips, their brains start working.”
About This Quote
Humans constantly state obvious facts; one theory says lack of speech exercise shrivels lips, another suggests it activates the brain.
In simple terms: People repeat obvious statements; theories link speech to physical and mental activity.
Key Takeaway
Notice how speech reflects mental engagement.
Themes
communication
habit
cognition
Mood
humorous
analytical
Type
satirical
scientific
When to use this quote
- daily conversation
- public speaking
- teaching
Key Concepts
linguistics
neuroscience
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we repeat obvious things?
- How does speech affect cognition?
A Different Perspective
Theories are humorous, not scientific.
![“Does God know he [exists]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered.” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a21/douglas-adams-122_courses_does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-doe_26187.jpg)
