--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't want to be in an argument…" description: "\"If you don't want to be in an argument with someone, it is probably best to try to solve the problem, rather than lying around hoping the other person ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/e-lockhart-1636_argument_if-you-don-t-want-to-be-in-an-argument-w_1958018.png" --- # If you don't want to be in an argument with someone, it is… ![“If you don't want to be in an argument with someone, it is probably best to try to solve the problem, rather than lying around hoping the other person will do it for you.” quote by E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/e-lockhart-1636_argument_if-you-don-t-want-to-be-in-an-argument-w_1958018.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/e-lockhart-1636_argument_if-you-don-t-want-to-be-in-an-argument-w_1958018.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/e-lockhart-1636_argument_if-you-don-t-want-to-be-in-an-argument-w_1958018.png) > “If you don't want to be in an argument with someone, it is probably best to try to solve the problem, rather than lying around hoping the other person will do it for you.” [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resolving conflict directly is more effective than hoping others will act; proactive problem‑solving prevents stagnation. **In simple terms:** Solve problems directly, don’t wait for others. Key Takeaway Address issues head‑on. Themes conflict resolution proactivity communication Mood thoughtful determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - workplace disputes - family arguments - team projects - community issues Key Concepts psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What problem can you address today? - How do you balance honesty with empathy? A Different Perspective People may resist direct confrontation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [“Recognizing a problem may help us to understand and solve a problem. Rather than lying down and selling our sound judgment short, let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/recognizing-a-problem-may-help-us-to-understand-and-solve-a-problem/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. I just don't want the argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/i-cannot-do-confrontation-you-know-that-fight-or-flight-thing-i-m/) [Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/) > [“Lusam really hated those two words, “We’ll see.” They always really meant, “No, but I don’t want an argument right now about it,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cadman/lusam-really-hated-those-two-words-we-ll-see-they-always-really-meant/) Dean Cadman > [I don't want to get into an argument with somebody about how they ought to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-don-t-want-to-get-into-an-argument-with-somebody-about-how-they/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [“Maybe the problem with lying is that once you start faking it, it's impossible to tell where the make-believe you ends and the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-doughton/maybe-the-problem-with-lying-is-that-once-you-start-faking-it-it-s/) [Autumn Doughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-doughton/) > [“Only honest people take you at your word. 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You can never remember what you've said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-green/that-s-the-problem-with-lying-you-can-never-remember-what-you-ve-said/) [Jane Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-green/) > [The government doesn't have to solve everyone's problem here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/the-government-doesn-t-have-to-solve-everyone-s-problem-here/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-first-start-off-trying-to-solve-a-problem-the-first/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“Solve the problem; find the solution. It's a simple equation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toshbosh/solve-the-problem-find-the-solution-it-s-a-simple-equation/) ToshBosh > [“That is not how you do it; you do not solve one problem with another, greater problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/that-is-not-how-you-do-it-you-do-not-solve-one-problem-with-another/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Love didn't always solve the problem; sometimes it became the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-gotti/love-didn-t-always-solve-the-problem-sometimes-it-became-the-problem/) [Victoria Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-gotti/) ## More by E. Lockhart > [“She makes the world seem shiny and sunlit. -Noel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/she-makes-the-world-seem-shiny-and-sunlit-noel/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“And then he's grabbing my hand, and pulling me into a storage room they use for art supplies. And he puts his finger to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/and-then-he-s-grabbing-my-hand-and-pulling-me-into-a-storage-room/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Noel shook his head. "You think better of this scene than I do, Ruby. Don't you see how fake those girls are? Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/noel-shook-his-head-you-think-better-of-this-scene-than-i-do-ruby-don/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“the best way to avoid having your heart broken was to pretend you don’t have one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/the-best-way-to-avoid-having-your-heart-broken-was-to-pretend-you-don/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [Secrets are more powerful when people know you've got them," said Mr. Sutton. "You show them the tiniest edge of your secret, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/secrets-are-more-powerful-when-people-know-you-ve-got-them-said-mr/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Also, I was living in the middle of my parents' marriage. No one ever says this about families, and maybe people who aren't only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/also-i-was-living-in-the-middle-of-my-parents-marriage-no-one-ever/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“At least, these guys were looking. And seeing something. A milkshake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/at-least-these-guys-were-looking-and-seeing-something-a-milkshake/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [...Mr. Wodehouse is a prose stylist of such startling talent that Frankie nearly skipped around with glee when she first read some of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/mr-wodehouse-is-a-prose-stylist-of-such-startling-talent-that-frankie/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Why is it a good idea for you and not a good idea for me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/why-is-it-a-good-idea-for-you-and-not-a-good-idea-for-me/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Now, he was free to go forth and make a name for himself in the wide, wide world. And maybe, just maybe, he'd come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/now-he-was-free-to-go-forth-and-make-a-name-for-himself-in-the-wide/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“It doesn't matter if one of us is desperately, desperately in love. So much in love, that equally desperate measures must be taken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/it-doesn-t-matter-if-one-of-us-is-desperately-desperately-in-love-so/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“The presentation of self in everyday life. This guy Goffman had the idea that in different situations, you perform yourself differently. Your character isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/the-presentation-of-self-in-everyday-life-this-guy-goffman-had-the/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“She made me act normal. Because I was. Because I could. She told me to breathe and sit up. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/she-made-me-act-normal-because-i-was-because-i-could-she-told-me-to/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“And now, she was walking down the hall with her books clutched to her chest, looking down at the floor while guys called, "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/and-now-she-was-walking-down-the-hall-with-her-books-clutched-to-her/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“Please, that is so antiquated. The institutions of male supremacy only have real power over you if you buy into that notion. Go found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/please-that-is-so-antiquated-the-institutions-of-male-supremacy-only/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) [Explore all 218 E. Lockhart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/on-the-stage-the-characters-express-themselves-more-through-words/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [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/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [“Arguments led by subjectivity are a waste of time. And, if they take place online, add to that, a waste of one’s keyboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/arguments-led-by-subjectivity-are-a-waste-of-time-and-if-they-take/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [If in the middle of an argument I suddenly fall silent it does not mean you have won... 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