--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me take once again a rough parable…" description: "\"“Let me take once again a rough parable. Suppose I advertised in the papers that I had a place for any one who was too stupid to be a clerk. Probably I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg" --- # Let me take once again a rough parable. Suppose I… ![“Let me take once again a rough parable. Suppose I advertised in the papers that I had a place for any one who was too stupid to be a clerk. Probably I should receive no replies; possibly one. Possibly also (nay, probably) it would be from the one man who was not stupid at all. But suppose I had…” quote by G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg) > ““Let me take once again a rough parable. Suppose I advertised in the papers that I had a place for any one who was too stupid to be a clerk. Probably I should receive no replies; possibly one. Possibly also (nay, probably) it would be from the one man who was not stupid at all. But suppose I had advertised that I had a place for any one who was too clever to be a clerk. My office would be instantly besieged by all the most hopeless fools in the four kingdoms. To advertise for exceptions is simply to advertise for egoists. To advertise for egoists is to advertise for idiots. It is exactly the bore who does think that his case is interesting. It is precisely the really common person who does think that his case is uncommon. It is always the dull man who does think himself rather wild. To ask solely for strange experiences of the soul is simply to let loose all the imbecile asylums about one's ears.”” [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People who seek only exceptional or ego‑driven roles attract the same unqualified, self‑absorbed individuals they hope to avoid. **In simple terms:** Seeking uniqueness draws the same kind of people you want to exclude. Key Takeaway Beware of hiring based on ego or rarity. Themes ego exceptionality recruitment human nature Mood cynical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - job ads - team building - leadership decisions - personal branding Key Concepts self‑deception social dynamics identity paradox Questions to Reflect On - What truly qualifies a candidate beyond ego? - How can you attract both competence and humility? A Different Perspective The logic assumes all “exceptional” seekers are foolish, ignoring genuine talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Conceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) ## Related quotes > [“The truth is, When I am not, then is the beauty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashutosh-g-hetkar/the-truth-is-when-i-am-not-then-is-the-beauty/) Ashutosh G. Hetkar > [The egoist is fooled by no ideals: he discards them or uses them, as may suit his own interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchanan-robinson/the-egoist-is-fooled-by-no-ideals-he-discards-them-or-uses-them-as/) [John Buchanan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchanan-robinson/) > [The egotist is all surface; underneath is a pulpy mess and a lot of self-doubt. But the egoist may be yielding and even deferential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-egotist-is-all-surface-underneath-is-a-pulpy-mess-and-a-lot-of/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [“What happens when the They family meets the Whatevers?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-b-pringle-jr/what-happens-when-the-they-family-meets-the-whatevers/) Wyatt B. Pringle, Jr > [“Consider him indulgently: the Egoist is the Son of Himself. He is likewise the Father. And the son loves the father, the father the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/consider-him-indulgently-the-egoist-is-the-son-of-himself-he-is/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [“Romantic Egoist Nozomi: You've got an idea in your head... how you should act, but you can't act like, so you stifle yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bisco-hatori/romantic-egoist-nozomi-you-ve-got-an-idea-in-your-head-how-you-should/) [Bisco Hatori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bisco-hatori/) > [“Narcissists only play for their own business, whereas Distortionists play with other’s business only to gain personal advantage. If you are both, then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-patel/narcissists-only-play-for-their-own-business-whereas-distortionists/) Ashish Patel > [Egoist is someone who cares more for himself than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-tuwim/egoist-is-someone-who-cares-more-for-himself-than-me/) [Julian Tuwim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-tuwim/) > [“Narcissistic pleasure seekers routinely avoid developing the humility required to manufacture a life of full measure. Shallow persons such as me hide their insecurities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/narcissistic-pleasure-seekers-routinely-avoid-developing-the-humility/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“He was born to be alone, a damned cold intellectual, an egoist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/he-was-born-to-be-alone-a-damned-cold-intellectual-an-egoist/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Love Egoist Sumire: At first, I was simply fighting the image others forced on me. It's true that it's kind of fun to curse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bisco-hatori/love-egoist-sumire-at-first-i-was-simply-fighting-the-image-others/) [Bisco Hatori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bisco-hatori/) > [But the egoist has no ideals, for the knowledge that his ideals are only his ideals, frees him from their domination. He acts for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchanan-robinson/but-the-egoist-has-no-ideals-for-the-knowledge-that-his-ideals-are/) [John Buchanan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchanan-robinson/) > [“Your egoist, like the solitary beasts, lives only for himself; your altruist declares that he lives only for others; for either there may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-nero-pilate-barbellion/your-egoist-like-the-solitary-beasts-lives-only-for-himself-your/) Wilhelm Nero Pilate Barbellion > [I'm not the egoist or anything. I'm not someone that's like, 'Oh, if I'm not playing this position, I don't want to play.' I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/i-m-not-the-egoist-or-anything-i-m-not-someone-that-s-like-oh-if-i-m/) [Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/) > [An egoist can be won over by being respected, a crazy person can be won over by allowing him to behave in an insane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/an-egoist-can-be-won-over-by-being-respected-a-crazy-person-can-be/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) ## More by G. K. Chesterton > [“It's just because I have picked a little about mystics that I have no use for mystagogues. Real mystics don't hide mysteries, they reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/it-s-just-because-i-have-picked-a-little-about-mystics-that-i-have-no/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“The history of the thing might amuse you," he said. "When first I became one of the New Anarchists I tried all kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/the-history-of-the-thing-might-amuse-you-he-said-when-first-i-became/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." - On Running After Ones Hat, All Things Considered, 1908”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/an-inconvenience-is-only-an-adventure-wrongly-considered-an-adventure/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“Satan fell by the force of gravity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/satan-fell-by-the-force-of-gravity/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“In every society, the rich are the scum of the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/in-every-society-the-rich-are-the-scum-of-the-earth/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“People who lose all their charity generally lose all their logic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/people-who-lose-all-their-charity-generally-lose-all-their-logic/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“Modesty has moved from the organ of ambition. Modesty has settled upon the organ of conviction where it was never meant to be. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/modesty-has-moved-from-the-organ-of-ambition-modesty-has-settled-upon/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“I mean,' he said with increasing vehemence, 'that if there be a house for me in heaven it will either have a green lamp-post…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/i-mean-he-said-with-increasing-vehemence-that-if-there-be-a-house-for/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“But how will you bear an absentminded man who, if he happens to see you, will kill you? That is what tries the nerves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/but-how-will-you-bear-an-absentminded-man-who-if-he-happens-to-see/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“The world will never be safe for democracy—it is a dangerous trade”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/the-world-will-never-be-safe-for-democracy-it-is-a-dangerous-trade/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“The most sacred thing is to be able to shut your own door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/the-most-sacred-thing-is-to-be-able-to-shut-your-own-door/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“I was suddenly possessed with the idea that the blind, blank back of his head really was his face—an awful, eyeless face staring at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/i-was-suddenly-possessed-with-the-idea-that-the-blind-blank-back-of/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“But the reason we fly from the city is not in reality that it is not poetical; it is that its poetry is too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/but-the-reason-we-fly-from-the-city-is-not-in-reality-that-it-is-not/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“If you try to talk about a truth that’s merely moral, people always think it’s merely metaphorical. A real live man with two legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/if-you-try-to-talk-about-a-truth-that-s-merely-moral-people-always/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) > [“We deny the snobbish English assumption that the uneducated are the dangerous criminals. We remember the Roman Emperors. We remember the great poisoning princes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/we-deny-the-snobbish-english-assumption-that-the-uneducated-are-the/) [G. K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) [Explore all 37 G. K. Chesterton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/) ## More Clever quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [ There was another reason \[she\] took her books whenever they went away. They were her home when she was somewhere strange. They were familiar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/there-was-another-reason-she-took-her-books-whenever-they-went-away/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [If she is stupid enough to let you go, you're clever enough not to look back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-she-is-stupid-enough-to-let-you-go-you-re-clever-enough-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Need to go to the pharmacy, because I'm so sick!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-matthews/need-to-go-to-the-pharmacy-because-i-m-so-sick/) Tasha Matthews > [My valour is certainly going! - it is sneaking off! - I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/my-valour-is-certainly-going-it-is-sneaking-off-i-feel-it-oozing-out/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > ['I Love You' fails to sum up all the memories, smiles, laughs, trials, and tribulations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/i-love-you-fails-to-sum-up-all-the-memories-smiles-laughs-trials-and/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [People may say that what I do is very clever, but it's not really at all. It's not Swift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/people-may-say-that-what-i-do-is-very-clever-but-it-s-not-really-at/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Regrets are like mistresses," he informed her. "I ..." Her hand dropped from the handle. "What?" "Good men don't have them." She blinked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/regrets-are-like-mistresses-he-informed-her-i-her-hand-dropped-from/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [I love clever lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-clever-lyrics/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) [Browse all 2,116 Clever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let me take once again a rough parable. Suppose I advertised in the papers that I had a place for any one who was too stupid to be a clerk. Probably I should receive no replies; possibly one. Possibly also (nay, probably) it would be from the one man who was not stupid at all. But suppose I had advertised that I had a place for any one who was too clever to be a clerk. My office would be instantly besieged by all the most hopeless fools in the four kingdoms. To advertise for exceptions is simply to advertise for egoists. To advertise for egoists is to advertise for idiots. It is exactly the bore who does think that his case is interesting. It is precisely the really common person who does think that his case is uncommon. It is always the dull man who does think himself rather wild. To ask solely for strange experiences of the soul is simply to let loose all the imbecile asylums about one's ears.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "G. K. Chesterton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-suppose-i-advertised-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clever" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-suppose-i-advertised-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/693/g-k-chesterton-2-16186_clever_let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-s_1225023.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let me take once again a rough parable. Suppose I advertised in the papers that I had a place for any one…” — G. K. Chesterton", "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": "G. K. Chesterton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Let me take once again a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-suppose-i-advertised-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/let-me-take-once-again-a-rough-parable-suppose-i-advertised-in-the/#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 } } ] } ```