---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, I thought it was…"
description: "\"“When I was young, I thought it was thunder that kills people. But when I learnt physics in St. Paul's High School, I discovered that it is rather the ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/israelmore-ayivor-79_arrogance_when-i-was-young-i-thought-it-was-thunde_2724794.jpg"
---

#  When I was young, I thought it was thunder that kills…

![“When I was young, I thought it was thunder that kills people. But when I learnt physics in St. Paul's High School, I discovered that it is rather the lightning that does the killing. The voice of the thunder itself is just a noise. The lightning is the poise. I learnt to take the course of my…” quote by Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/israelmore-ayivor-79_arrogance_when-i-was-young-i-thought-it-was-thunde_2724794.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/israelmore-ayivor-79_arrogance_when-i-was-young-i-thought-it-was-thunde_2724794.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/israelmore-ayivor-79_arrogance_when-i-was-young-i-thought-it-was-thunde_2724794.jpg)

> ““When I was young, I thought it was thunder that kills people. But when I learnt physics in St. Paul's High School, I discovered that it is rather the lightning that does the killing. The voice of the thunder itself is just a noise. The lightning is the poise. I learnt to take the course of my life, not by violence but rather with intelligence.””

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Lightning, not thunder, kills; use intelligence, not violence, to shape life.

**In simple terms:** Lightning kills, use intellect not force.

Key Takeaway

Choose intellect over aggression.

Themes

intelligence violence learning

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

philosophical self‑help

When to use this quote

- Education
- conflict resolution
- career planning

Key Concepts

Physics metaphor personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- How does knowledge change outcomes?
- What replaces violence in conflict?

A Different Perspective

Metaphor may oversimplify.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

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