--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's always that argument to make…" description: "\"There's always that argument to make - that you're in better company historically if people don't understand what you're doing.\" — Elliott Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg" --- # There's always that argument to make - that you're in… ![“There's always that argument to make - that you're in better company historically if people don't understand what you're doing.” quote by Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg) > “There's always that argument to make - that you're in better company historically if people don't understand what you're doing.” [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often feel justified in their choices when they view themselves as part of a distinguished lineage, especially when misunderstood. **In simple terms:** Feeling special when misunderstood. Key Takeaway Embrace humility over superiority. Themes identity validation history misunderstanding Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - creative pursuits - academic research - entrepreneurial ventures - personal relationships Key Concepts existentialism social comparison Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek validation through historical comparison? - How might humility improve collaboration? A Different Perspective Superior attitudes can alienate allies and hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-make-2117574/) [Better Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-company-691198/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Company Historically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company-historically-2117573/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Understand Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-doing-484788/) ## Related quotes > [The important thing isn't the soundness or otherwise of the argument, but for it to make you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-important-thing-isn-t-the-soundness-or-otherwise-of-the-argument/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Netflix is a better company with more upside than we had given it credit for than when we shorted it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/netflix-is-a-better-company-with-more-upside-than-we-had-given-it/) [Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/) > [I do not intend to let myself down more than I can possibly help, and I find that the fewer illusions I have about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/i-do-not-intend-to-let-myself-down-more-than-i-can-possibly-help-and/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [Find better company, find company of people better than yourself so you be surrounded with those best in character and so you may learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/find-better-company-find-company-of-people-better-than-yourself-so/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [You build a better company by building better people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/you-build-a-better-company-by-building-better-people/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“A company of wolves, is better than a company of wolves in sheep's clothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/a-company-of-wolves-is-better-than-a-company-of-wolves-in-sheep-s/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Even the company of the mad was better than the company of the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/even-the-company-of-the-mad-was-better-than-the-company-of-the-dead/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When you are about to die, a wombat is better than no company at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/when-you-are-about-to-die-a-wombat-is-better-than-no-company-at-all/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [If I ran the whole place like it was my way or the highway, we would not be as good a company. I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/if-i-ran-the-whole-place-like-it-was-my-way-or-the-highway-we-would/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Find people who believe the world will be better when your company succeeds. That's an incentive that money can never buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-busque/find-people-who-believe-the-world-will-be-better-when-your-company/) [Leah Busque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-busque/) > [... fire fast when it's not working. It's better for the company, it's also better for the employee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/fire-fast-when-it-s-not-working-it-s-better-for-the-company-it-s-also/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [These moments you cannot plan for sometimes are the ones that are going to make you a better company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-scott/these-moments-you-cannot-plan-for-sometimes-are-the-ones-that-are/) [Kendra Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-scott/) > [Uber is a better company with better math, better predictive supply, better brand, lower pickup times, higher quality of service. They'll absolutely win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/uber-is-a-better-company-with-better-math-better-predictive-supply/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [The avant-garde feel important, but they hardly understand what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vangelis/the-avant-garde-feel-important-but-they-hardly-understand-what-they/) [Vangelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vangelis/) > [“I understand what you're doing, and I know what it means for me. You're trying to escape. You're trying to discard me. Don't give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-wickham/i-understand-what-you-re-doing-and-i-know-what-it-means-for-me-you-re/) [Madeleine Wickham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-wickham/) ## More by Elliott Smith > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I actually don't think that I'm gonna sell a lot of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-actually-don-t-think-that-i-m-gonna-sell-a-lot-of-records/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Because God only knows why people like what they like and don't like something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/because-god-only-knows-why-people-like-what-they-like-and-don-t-like/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [My girlfriend at the time convinced me to send these songs to Cavity Search. When they wanted to put out my record I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/my-girlfriend-at-the-time-convinced-me-to-send-these-songs-to-cavity/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People think they know all these things about other people, and if you ask them why they think they know that, it'd be hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-think-they-know-all-these-things-about-other-people-and-if-you/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I didn't think I was gonna be playing on the Oscars or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-didn-t-think-i-was-gonna-be-playing-on-the-oscars-or-anything/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [All your secret wishes could right now be coming true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/all-your-secret-wishes-could-right-now-be-coming-true/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I can't think of anything off the top of my head that seems more important than something designed to raise money to keep something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-can-t-think-of-anything-off-the-top-of-my-head-that-seems-more/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I went walking around the city some more, people watching with a cold, blank stare. And I saw your face in everyone, I swear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-went-walking-around-the-city-some-more-people-watching-with-a-cold/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [There are lots of things I like about playing in a band, the things I can't do by myself you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-are-lots-of-things-i-like-about-playing-in-a-band-the-things-i/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [The band's filter, but playing live is a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/the-band-s-filter-but-playing-live-is-a-lot-of-fun/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Well, I try not to think about the general public since I have no idea what the general public is and I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/well-i-try-not-to-think-about-the-general-public-since-i-have-no-idea/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People can be chaos but it's hard to fit it into some creative piece that you made. It's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-can-be-chaos-but-it-s-hard-to-fit-it-into-some-creative-piece/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [“Tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/tired-of-dancing-on-a-pot-of-gold-flake-paint/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [A lot of people are kind of depressed. I'm happy some of the time, and some of the time I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/a-lot-of-people-are-kind-of-depressed-i-m-happy-some-of-the-time-and/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) [Explore all 80 Elliott Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## 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. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. 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... No it means you should probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/if-in-the-middle-of-an-argument-i-suddenly-fall-silent-it-does-not/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“The motive behind my arguments have always been to come at truth. I am not interested in conquering anyone with my ideologies or seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-evans/the-motive-behind-my-arguments-have-always-been-to-come-at-truth-i-am/) [Crystal Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-evans/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) [Browse all 3,479 Argument quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's always that argument to make - that you're in better company historically if people don't understand what you're doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-that-you-re-in-better-company/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Argument" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-that-you-re-in-better-company/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e3/elliott-smith-8566_argument_there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-tha_1811255.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's always that argument to make - that you're in better company historically if people don't understand…” — Elliott Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elliott Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's always that argument to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-that-you-re-in-better-company/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-s-always-that-argument-to-make-that-you-re-in-better-company/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```