Communication Quote by E.D. Hirsch Jr
““It is a profoundly erroneous truism repeated by all copybooks, and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise opposite is the case. Civilization advances by extending the number of operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle—they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments.””
About This Quote
Claims civilization advances when routine tasks become automatic, freeing mental capacity for strategic, high‑impact thinking, likening deliberate thought to limited cavalry charges.
In simple terms: Automation frees mind for decisive actions.
Key Takeaway
Routine automation enables strategic cognition.
Themes
technology
cognition
efficiency
strategy
Mood
pragmatic
forward‑looking
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- software development
- business process optimization
Key Concepts
automation
cognitive load management
Practical Applications
- Identify repetitive tasks for automation
- Allocate saved time to creative problem‑solving
Questions to Reflect On
- Which tasks in your field could be automated?
- How do you decide when to intervene with deliberate thought?
