--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wit, to be well defined, must be defined…" description: "\"Wit, to be well defined, must be defined by wit itself; then it will be worth listening to.\" — Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmer_defined_wit-to-be-well-defined-must-be-defined-b_1882123.jpg" --- # Wit, to be well defined, must be defined by wit itself… ![“Wit, to be well defined, must be defined by wit itself; then it will be worth listening to.” quote by Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmer_defined_wit-to-be-well-defined-must-be-defined-b_1882123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmer_defined_wit-to-be-well-defined-must-be-defined-b_1882123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b2/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmer_defined_wit-to-be-well-defined-must-be-defined-b_1882123.jpg) > “Wit, to be well defined, must be defined by wit itself; then it will be worth listening to.” [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wit must be self-referential; its value is proven when it defines itself and engages listeners. **In simple terms:** Wit defines itself and is worth hearing. Key Takeaway Cultivate wit that reflects on its own nature. Themes humor self-reference communication intellect Mood playful analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - teaching Key Concepts meta-humor rhetoric philosophy of language Questions to Reflect On - How can wit be both self‑aware and inclusive? - When does wit become pretentious? A Different Perspective Wit can alienate if too self‑referential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [“Like maybe he really, truly believes I'm worth listening to, worth saving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/like-maybe-he-really-truly-believes-i-m-worth-listening-to-worth/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [Best selling authors are always worth listening to, even if you choose to ignore their advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/best-selling-authors-are-always-worth-listening-to-even-if-you-choose/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [ I started \[performing\] so young that it might have just been that I kind of had to grow up and make people understand that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-started-performing-so-young-that-it-might-have-just-been-that-i/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Not everyone is worth listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/not-everyone-is-worth-listening-to/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Everyone‟s got a story and everyone thinks theirs is worth telling and worth listening to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walsh/everyone-s-got-a-story-and-everyone-thinks-theirs-is-worth-telling/) [Alice Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walsh/) > [Anger is a signal, and one worth listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/anger-is-a-signal-and-one-worth-listening-to/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [ You have to have a very holler-y sensibility. So they \[the audience\] know there's something worth listening to. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/you-have-to-have-a-very-holler-y-sensibility-so-they-the-audience/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Album 1 is proving that you're worth listening to, album 2 is proving that it wasn't a fluke, and album 3 is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-grammer/album-1-is-proving-that-you-re-worth-listening-to-album-2-is-proving/) [Andy Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-grammer/) > [I'm always curious about anyone who has enough passion to go onstage and say, 'This is what I'm really passionate about.' It's always worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemence-poesy/i-m-always-curious-about-anyone-who-has-enough-passion-to-go-onstage/) [Clemence Poesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemence-poesy/) > [“Very well, sir. 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The yoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/time-is-never-more-misspent-than-while-we-declaim-against-the-want-of/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Laugh as loud as you please at your companion's wit; do not even smile at his folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/laugh-as-loud-as-you-please-at-your-companion-s-wit-do-not-even-smile/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Though fancy may be the patient's complaint, necessity is often the doctor's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/though-fancy-may-be-the-patient-s-complaint-necessity-is-often-the/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Liberal of cruelty are those who pamper with promises; promisers destroy while they deceive, and the hope they raise is dearly purchased by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/liberal-of-cruelty-are-those-who-pamper-with-promises-promisers/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Gambling houses are temples where the most sordid and turbulent passions contend; there no spectator can be indifferent. A card or a small square…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/gambling-houses-are-temples-where-the-most-sordid-and-turbulent/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Take care to be an economist in prosperity. There is no fear of your being one in adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/take-care-to-be-an-economist-in-prosperity-there-is-no-fear-of-your/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [The rich and luxurious may claim an exclusive right to those pleasures which are capable of being purchased by pelf, in which the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/the-rich-and-luxurious-may-claim-an-exclusive-right-to-those/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [The love of solitude, when cultivated in the morn of life, elevates the mind to a noble independence, but to acquire the advantages which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/the-love-of-solitude-when-cultivated-in-the-morn-of-life-elevates-the/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > ['We only have two things to worry about… One that things will never get back to normal And two that they already have!' Open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/we-only-have-two-things-to-worry-about-one-that-things-will-never-get/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [There appears to exist a greater desire to live long than to live well! Measure by man's desires, he cannot live long enough; measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/there-appears-to-exist-a-greater-desire-to-live-long-than-to-live/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [All our distinctions ire accidental; beauty and deformity, though personal qualities, are neither entitled to praise nor censure; yet it so happens that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/all-our-distinctions-ire-accidental-beauty-and-deformity-though/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Never suffer the prejudice of the eye to determine the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/never-suffer-the-prejudice-of-the-eye-to-determine-the-heart/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [In fame's temple there is always a niche to be found for rich dunces, importunate scoundrels, or successful butchers of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/in-fame-s-temple-there-is-always-a-niche-to-be-found-for-rich-dunces/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [When ill news comes too late to be serviceable to your neighbor, keep it to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/when-ill-news-comes-too-late-to-be-serviceable-to-your-neighbor-keep/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [Profound meditation in solitude and silence frequently exalts the mind above its natural tone, fires the imagination, produces the most refined and sublime conceptions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/profound-meditation-in-solitude-and-silence-frequently-exalts-the/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) [Explore all 64 Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) ## More Defined quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Jazz is not something that can be defined through blunt instruments. 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