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Aberration Quote by Henry James

“It's never permitted to be surprised at the aberrations of born fools.” quote by Henry James
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“It's never permitted to be surprised at the aberrations of born fools.”

Henry James

About This Quote

Source Novel: "The Bostonians", 1886

He asserts that one should never be surprised by the foolishness inherent in people from birth, implying that folly is a natural, expected trait.

In simple terms: Foolishness is expected, not shocking.

Key Takeaway

Accept human folly as normal.

Themes

human nature foolishness expectation philosophy literature

Mood

cynical observational

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • Education
  • parenting
  • leadership
  • policy making

Key Concepts

Born folly social observation skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

  • Do you see exceptions to innate foolishness?
  • How does this view affect empathy?
A Different Perspective

Overgeneralizes human behavior, ignoring growth.

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