--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do nothing or everything; the mediocre…" description: "\"“Do nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is repellent to me; I prefer an extreme.”\" — Johann Georg Hamann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg" --- # Do nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is… ![“Do nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is repellent to me; I prefer an extreme.” quote by Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg) > ““Do nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is repellent to me; I prefer an extreme.”” [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects mediocrity, preferring extremes over the middle ground. **In simple terms:** Extreme over average. Key Takeaway Embrace bold choices. Themes extremism individualism authenticity Mood defiant passionate Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choices - artistic expression - political activism - risk taking Key Concepts radicalism personal conviction Questions to Reflect On - Do you value consistency over intensity? - When is moderation beneficial? A Different Perspective Extremes can lead to instability or alienation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Do either nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is repellent to me: I prefer an extreme.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/do-either-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-the-moderate-is/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [I wish they made bitch repellent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-they-made-bitch-repellent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This is it?” I asked. “This is going to keep away an uber-powerful dream entity? It looks like a prop from The Blair Witch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/this-is-it-i-asked-this-is-going-to-keep-away-an-uber-powerful-dream/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [There's something about the way of playing a repellent character, that if you can play him with a certain amount of charm, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-armstrong/there-s-something-about-the-way-of-playing-a-repellent-character-that/) [Curtis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-armstrong/) > [“She was like a nagging itch, repellent and at the same time tempting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steig-larsson/she-was-like-a-nagging-itch-repellent-and-at-the-same-time-tempting/) [Steig Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steig-larsson/) > [“Would like to understand much more about Rat Repellent? Your lookup will end right here. Click right here to receive more info on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/repellent/would-like-to-understand-much-more-about-rat-repellent-your-lookup/) Repellent > [All zoos are both beguiling and repellent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-french/all-zoos-are-both-beguiling-and-repellent/) [Thomas French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-french/) > [Hand me down the shark repellent Bat-Spray!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/hand-me-down-the-shark-repellent-bat-spray/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [I sprayed a mosquito with mosquito repellent and now he'll never have any friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sprayed-a-mosquito-with-mosquito-repellent-and-now-he-ll-never-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All passions that suffer themselves to be relished and digested are but moderate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/all-passions-that-suffer-themselves-to-be-relished-and-digested-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [As militias go, the Ohio Defense Force is on the moderate side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/as-militias-go-the-ohio-defense-force-is-on-the-moderate-side/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [Moderate Republicans are reverse Houdinis. They tie themselves up in knots and then tell you they can’t do anything because they’re tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/moderate-republicans-are-reverse-houdinis-they-tie-themselves-up-in/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [In Tunisia, the so-called Yasmin revolution has led to the installation of a relatively moderate Islamic government. Whether or not that means democracy will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-tunisia-the-so-called-yasmin-revolution-has-led-to-the/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [“How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more reasonable, more moderate!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/how-earnestly-did-she-then-wish-that-her-former-opinions-had-been/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) ## More by Johann Georg Hamann > [Nature is a book, a letter, a fairy tale (in the philosophical sense) or whatever you want to call it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/nature-is-a-book-a-letter-a-fairy-tale-in-the-philosophical-sense-or/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [Being, belief and reason are pure relations, which cannot be dealt with absolutely, and are not things but pure scholastic concepts, signs for understanding,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/being-belief-and-reason-are-pure-relations-which-cannot-be-dealt-with/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [What for others is style, for me is soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/what-for-others-is-style-for-me-is-soul/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [I look upon logical proofs the way a well-bred girl looks upon a love letter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/i-look-upon-logical-proofs-the-way-a-well-bred-girl-looks-upon-a-love/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [“I look upon the finest logical demonstration the way a sensible girl regards a love letter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/i-look-upon-the-finest-logical-demonstration-the-way-a-sensible-girl/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [Self knowledge begins with the neighbor, the mirror, and just the same with true self-love; that goes from the mirror to the matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/self-knowledge-begins-with-the-neighbor-the-mirror-and-just-the-same/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [The philosophers have always given truth a bill of divorce, by separating what nature has joined together and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/the-philosophers-have-always-given-truth-a-bill-of-divorce-by/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [If only I was as eloquent as Demosthenes, I would have to do no more than repeat a single word three times. Reason is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/if-only-i-was-as-eloquent-as-demosthenes-i-would-have-to-do-no-more/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [Everything the human being heard from the beginning, saw with its eyes, looked upon and touched with its hands was a living word; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/everything-the-human-being-heard-from-the-beginning-saw-with-its-eyes/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [Physics is nothing but the ABC's. Nature is an equation with an unknown, a Hebrew word which is written only with consonants to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/physics-is-nothing-but-the-abc-s-nature-is-an-equation-with-an/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [If only I was as eloquent as Demosthenes, I would have to do no more than repeat a single word three times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/if-only-i-was-as-eloquent-as-demosthenes-i-would-have-to-do-no-more-2/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [The product of paper and printed ink, that we commonly call the book, is one of the great visible mediators between spirit and time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/the-product-of-paper-and-printed-ink-that-we-commonly-call-the-book/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [Indeed, if a chief question does remain: how is the power to think possible? - The power to think right and left, before and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/indeed-if-a-chief-question-does-remain-how-is-the-power-to-think/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [When I rest my feet my mind also ceases to function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/when-i-rest-my-feet-my-mind-also-ceases-to-function/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) > [“While we are aiming at clear ideas, the food gets cold and tasteless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/while-we-are-aiming-at-clear-ideas-the-food-gets-cold-and-tasteless/) [Johann Georg Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) [Explore all 36 Johann Georg Hamann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/) ## More Moderate quotes > [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [“How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more reasonable, more moderate!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/how-earnestly-did-she-then-wish-that-her-former-opinions-had-been/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [In Tunisia, the so-called Yasmin revolution has led to the installation of a relatively moderate Islamic government. Whether or not that means democracy will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-tunisia-the-so-called-yasmin-revolution-has-led-to-the/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [Moderate Republicans are reverse Houdinis. They tie themselves up in knots and then tell you they can’t do anything because they’re tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/moderate-republicans-are-reverse-houdinis-they-tie-themselves-up-in/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [As militias go, the Ohio Defense Force is on the moderate side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/as-militias-go-the-ohio-defense-force-is-on-the-moderate-side/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [All passions that suffer themselves to be relished and digested are but moderate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/all-passions-that-suffer-themselves-to-be-relished-and-digested-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I keep on saying, being moderate is fundamental to Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/i-keep-on-saying-being-moderate-is-fundamental-to-islam/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [I'm, in general, an advocate of moderate ticket prices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/i-m-in-general-an-advocate-of-moderate-ticket-prices/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [I'm a moderate. I hang out in the middle. I vote against my party with some regularity and try to compromise. It doesn't appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/i-m-a-moderate-i-hang-out-in-the-middle-i-vote-against-my-party-with/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [It is the mark of a gentleman to be moderate in the use of wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athenaeus/it-is-the-mark-of-a-gentleman-to-be-moderate-in-the-use-of-wine/) [Athenaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athenaeus/) > [Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/be-moderate-in-order-to-taste-the-joys-of-life-in-abundance/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [When the phonies are expelled from their leadership roles and the Republican Party backs a moderate gubernatorial candidate acceptable to the rank and file…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-paladino/when-the-phonies-are-expelled-from-their-leadership-roles-and-the/) [Carl Paladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-paladino/) > [I'm quite moderate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-colmes/i-m-quite-moderate/) [Alan Colmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-colmes/) > [“In politics, everyone regards themselves as a moderate, because they know some other sumbitch who's twice as crazy as they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-b-tyson/in-politics-everyone-regards-themselves-as-a-moderate-because-they/) [Timothy B. Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-b-tyson/) > [Please if you find my words or actions offensive or really bad, do take your time to moderate it with your interpretations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/please-if-you-find-my-words-or-actions-offensive-or-really-bad-do/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) Browse all 133 Moderate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is repellent to me; I prefer an extreme.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johann Georg Hamann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-the-moderate-is-repellent-to-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Moderate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-the-moderate-is-repellent-to-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/johann-georg-hamann-17779_moderate_do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-th_3126497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do nothing or everything; the mediocre, the moderate, is repellent to me; I prefer an extreme.” — Johann Georg Hamann", "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": "Johann Georg Hamann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-hamann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Do nothing or everything; the mediocre,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-the-moderate-is-repellent-to-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-hamann/do-nothing-or-everything-the-mediocre-the-moderate-is-repellent-to-me/#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 } } ] } ```