--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way in which men cling to old…" description: "\"The way in which men cling to old institutions after the life has departed out of them, and out of themselves, reminds me of those monkeys which cling ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f1/henry-david-thoreau-20_arguing_the-way-in-which-men-cling-to-old-instit_2710104.jpg" --- # The way in which men cling to old institutions after the… ![“The way in which men cling to old institutions after the life has departed out of them, and out of themselves, reminds me of those monkeys which cling by their tails - aye, whose tails contract about the limbs, even the dead limbs, of the forest, and they hang suspended beyond the hunter's reach…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f1/henry-david-thoreau-20_arguing_the-way-in-which-men-cling-to-old-instit_2710104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f1/henry-david-thoreau-20_arguing_the-way-in-which-men-cling-to-old-instit_2710104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f1/henry-david-thoreau-20_arguing_the-way-in-which-men-cling-to-old-instit_2710104.jpg) > “The way in which men cling to old institutions after the life has departed out of them, and out of themselves, reminds me of those monkeys which cling by their tails - aye, whose tails contract about the limbs, even the dead limbs, of the forest, and they hang suspended beyond the hunter's reach long after they are dead. It is of no use to argue with such men. They have not an apprehensive intellect, but merely, as it were a prehensile tail.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clinging to outdated institutions is like dead monkeys holding onto dead limbs; it’s futile to argue with those lacking insight. **In simple terms:** Holding onto the past is useless. Key Takeaway Recognize when ideas are dead and let go. Themes tradition stagnation obsolescence Mood reflective critical skeptical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - political debate - organizational change - personal growth - cultural criticism Key Concepts prehensile metaphor institutional inertia Questions to Reflect On - What institutions are you still holding onto? - How can you identify when a belief has become obsolete? A Different Perspective Argument may be ineffective if the audience lacks reflective capacity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Departed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departed/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Hunters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunters/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Monkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monkeys/) ## Related quotes > [We cannot be effective if we continue to cling to the old ways, the old strategies, the old assumptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-barna/we-cannot-be-effective-if-we-continue-to-cling-to-the-old-ways-the/) [George Barna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-barna/) > [I find so many people struggling, often working harder, simply because they cling to old ideas. 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And the first view of him can be almost frightening - a face so heavy-lidded and satanic you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/his-name-is-mr-spock-and-the-first-view-of-him-can-be-almost/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/money-will-buy-a-pretty-good-dog-but-it-won-t-buy-the-wag-of-his-tail/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“You have no tail!" said Brightspot. her own whipped suddenly forward; she stared, first at it, then at Wilson."How do you manage?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-kagan/you-have-no-tail-said-brightspot-her-own-whipped-suddenly-forward-she/) [Janet Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-kagan/) > [“The cat's tail was straying into her face again; she was forced to expel air in a most unbecoming fashion to avoid a mouthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-cat-s-tail-was-straying-into-her-face-again-she-was-forced-to/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [All through the kind of late '80s and '90s, every A&R record company man was saying, 'Now what we want is another record like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/all-through-the-kind-of-late-80s-and-90s-every-a-r-record-company-man/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [Speak of a wolf and you see his tail!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/speak-of-a-wolf-and-you-see-his-tail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're born with a tail, you learn to go through doors fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-wagner/when-you-re-born-with-a-tail-you-learn-to-go-through-doors-fast/) [Kurt Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-wagner/) > [“As Fama put it, “Life always has a fat tail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-lowenstein/as-fama-put-it-life-always-has-a-fat-tail/) [Roger Lowenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-lowenstein/) > [Computing shows up in many different ways. 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