--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not, truly speaking, the labour…" description: "\"It is not, truly speaking, the labour that is divided; but the men: divided into mere segments of men - broken into small fragments and crumbs of life,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/john-ruskin-314_broken_it-is-not-truly-speaking-the-labour-that_494910.jpg" --- # It is not, truly speaking, the labour that is divided; but… ![“It is not, truly speaking, the labour that is divided; but the men: divided into mere segments of men - broken into small fragments and crumbs of life, so that all the little piece of intelligence that is left in a man is not enough to make a pin, or a nail, but exhausts itself in making the point…” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/john-ruskin-314_broken_it-is-not-truly-speaking-the-labour-that_494910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/john-ruskin-314_broken_it-is-not-truly-speaking-the-labour-that_494910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41f/john-ruskin-314_broken_it-is-not-truly-speaking-the-labour-that_494910.jpg) > “It is not, truly speaking, the labour that is divided; but the men: divided into mere segments of men - broken into small fragments and crumbs of life, so that all the little piece of intelligence that is left in a man is not enough to make a pin, or a nail, but exhausts itself in making the point of a pin or the head of a nail.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divides humanity into fragmented parts, limiting collective intelligence and reducing individuals to mere tools. **In simple terms:** Fragmentation weakens human potential. Key Takeaway Encourage holistic thinking and unity. Themes fragmentation human nature individualism Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - Team projects - community building - education curricula Key Concepts collective intelligence social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster integration over division? - What are the risks of over‑specialization? A Different Perspective May underestimate individual creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [We have much studied and much perfected, of late, the great civilized invention of the division of labour; only we give it a false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/we-have-much-studied-and-much-perfected-of-late-the-great-civilized/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is divided into men who have wit and no religion and men who have religion and no wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avicenna/the-world-is-divided-into-men-who-have-wit-and-no-religion-and-men/) [Avicenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avicenna/) > [“Prisons are built to break men, and when men are broken society has consummated its revenge”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-valtin/prisons-are-built-to-break-men-and-when-men-are-broken-society-has/) [Jan Valtin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-valtin/) > [“when I see kings lying by those who deposed them, when I consider rival wits placed side by side, or the holy men that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/when-i-see-kings-lying-by-those-who-deposed-them-when-i-consider/) [Stephen R. 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But in their shame they're all the same, these men with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-jr-2/some-were-beggars-some-were-kings-and-some-were-masters-of-the-arts/) [Hank Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-jr-2/) > [All the animals, the plants, the minerals, even other kinds of men, are being broken and reassembled every day, to preserve an elite few,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/all-the-animals-the-plants-the-minerals-even-other-kinds-of-men-are/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [“Women divided by ego and united by gossip , Men divided by women and united by beer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yash-gupta/women-divided-by-ego-and-united-by-gossip-men-divided-by-women-and/) [Yash Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yash-gupta/) > [It is not true that men can be divided into absolutely honest persons and absolutely dishonest ones. 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