--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps some of my hearers this evening…" description: "\"“Perhaps some of my hearers this evening may have occasionally heard it stated of me that I am rather apt to contradict myself. I hope I am exceedingly..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg" --- # Perhaps some of my hearers this evening may have… ![“Perhaps some of my hearers this evening may have occasionally heard it stated of me that I am rather apt to contradict myself. I hope I am exceedingly apt to do so. I never met wth a question yet, of any importance, which did not need, for the right solution of it, at least one positive and one…” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg) > ““Perhaps some of my hearers this evening may have occasionally heard it stated of me that I am rather apt to contradict myself. I hope I am exceedingly apt to do so. I never met wth a question yet, of any importance, which did not need, for the right solution of it, at least one positive and one negative answer, like an equation of the second degree. Mostly, matters of any consequence are three-sided, or four-sided, or polygonal; and the trotting round a polygon is severe work for people any way stiff in their opinions. For myself, I am never satisfied that I have handled a subject properly till I have contradicted myself at least three times: but once must do for this evening.”” [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. He values self‑contradiction as a tool for deeper understanding, believing complex issues need multiple perspectives. **In simple terms:** Contradiction helps explore complex ideas. Key Takeaway Embrace opposing views to refine thinking. Themes critical thinking philosophy complexity Mood inquisitive analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - debates - problem solving - creative writing - academic research Key Concepts dialectic paradox multi‑sided analysis Questions to Reflect On - When does questioning become counterproductive? - How can you balance certainty and doubt? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on contradiction can stall decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“You and I, Sir John," said Mrs. Jennings, "should never stand upon such ceremony." "Then you would be very ill-bred," cried Mr. Palmer. "My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/you-and-i-sir-john-said-mrs-jennings-should-never-stand-upon-such/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“You could tell him whatever you wanted, but he knew what he knew, and if what you said contradicted what he knew, he simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/you-could-tell-him-whatever-you-wanted-but-he-knew-what-he-knew-and/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“We . . . go out into the Waste Land of Experts, each knowing so much about so little that he can neither be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-young/we-go-out-into-the-waste-land-of-experts-each-knowing-so-much-about/) G.M. Young > [This solitude opressed her; she was accustomed to have her thoughts confirmed by others or, at all events, contradicted; it was too dreadful not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-solitude-opressed-her-she-was-accustomed-to-have-her-thoughts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I took Alexey Brodovitch course at the New School. He taught me something that I've always remembered: After we did the initial assignment, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-schatzberg/i-took-alexey-brodovitch-course-at-the-new-school-he-taught-me/) [Jerry Schatzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-schatzberg/) > [“What good were the rules of time when the rules of magic contradicted them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-good-were-the-rules-of-time-when-the-rules-of-magic-contradicted/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Husbands do not care to be contradicted. Indeed, I do not know anyone who does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mertz/husbands-do-not-care-to-be-contradicted-indeed-i-do-not-know-anyone/) [Barbara Mertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mertz/) > [“She contradicted the Freudians and development psychologists by suggesting that we modify our behaviour depending on the environment we are in. Her conclusion: children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikael-krogerus/she-contradicted-the-freudians-and-development-psychologists-by/) [Mikael Krogerus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikael-krogerus/) > [“He had very few doubts, and when the facts contradicted his views on life, he shut his eyes in disapproval.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/he-had-very-few-doubts-and-when-the-facts-contradicted-his-views-on/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“As a purely intellectual matter, nothing was suddenly discovered in the 1960s that contradicted the biblical witness on fornication, adultery, and homosexuality, or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/as-a-purely-intellectual-matter-nothing-was-suddenly-discovered-in/) [Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/) > [Your loyalness, so much more important to be proven to those around you, than to be contradicted by them who are against you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cayla-friend/your-loyalness-so-much-more-important-to-be-proven-to-those-around/) Cayla Friend > [“No one can know a false thing, one can only believe it with certainty until it is contradicted. (Page 7)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/no-one-can-know-a-false-thing-one-can-only-believe-it-with-certainty/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [When I was younger I had my problems, and one of the hardest things I had to come to terms with was that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fab-moretti/when-i-was-younger-i-had-my-problems-and-one-of-the-hardest-things-i/) [Fab Moretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fab-moretti/) > [“Your fortune is yet doubtful: when I examined your face, one trait contradicted another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/your-fortune-is-yet-doubtful-when-i-examined-your-face-one-trait/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [It is extremely naive to think that mankind is capable of sinning against god. If god exists as a being who watches us, judges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-wallace-campbell/it-is-extremely-naive-to-think-that-mankind-is-capable-of-sinning/) Gregory Wallace Campbell ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More Contradict quotes > [“No need to be intimidated, tesoro, but do be careful." "See, those two statements seem like they contradict each other to me, Gio.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hunter/no-need-to-be-intimidated-tesoro-but-do-be-careful-see-those-two/) [elizabeth hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hunter/) > [“Our law and our morality contradict one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/our-law-and-our-morality-contradict-one-another/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [Religions contradict one another-on small matters, such as whether we should put on a hat or take one off on entering a house of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/religions-contradict-one-another-on-small-matters-such-as-whether-we/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In reply, I can only plead that a discovery which seems to contradict the general tenor of previous investigations is naturally received with much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lyell/in-reply-i-can-only-plead-that-a-discovery-which-seems-to-contradict/) [Charles Lyell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lyell/) > [“To hold two ideas that contradict each other is to flirt with absurdity, and humans are creatures who spend their lives trying to convince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/to-hold-two-ideas-that-contradict-each-other-is-to-flirt-with/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [In a world where people want answers immediately, I'm behaving a lot of the time in ways that contradict certain people's beliefs, or normally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/in-a-world-where-people-want-answers-immediately-i-m-behaving-a-lot/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [“I have been granted the terrible privilege of deciding what would have happened with no one left to contradict me. And maybe I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-have-been-granted-the-terrible-privilege-of-deciding-what-would/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [Some, merely to contradict what I had said, did not scruple to cast doubt upon things they had seen with their own eyes again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/some-merely-to-contradict-what-i-had-said-did-not-scruple-to-cast/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“The major religions on the Earth contradict each other left and right. You can't all be correct. And what if all of you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-major-religions-on-the-earth-contradict-each-other-left-and-right/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [If you don't contradict yourself on a regular basis, then you're not thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/if-you-don-t-contradict-yourself-on-a-regular-basis-then-you-re-not/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“As long as she persisted in her belief that bafflement justified her actions, she felt confident no one would contradict her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/as-long-as-she-persisted-in-her-belief-that-bafflement-justified-her/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [All of which was OK, as that proved then, I certainly wouldn't contradict it as a necessary sense of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-creeley/all-of-which-was-ok-as-that-proved-then-i-certainly-wouldn-t/) [Robert Creeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-creeley/) > [I have this idea of myself as this quiet, observant, thoughtful child, which my parents roundly contradict. They claim that I was loud and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/i-have-this-idea-of-myself-as-this-quiet-observant-thoughtful-child/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [If asked whether you love God, say nothing. This is because if you say, 'I do not love God,'you are an unbeliever. If, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-fudhayl-bin-iyyadh/if-asked-whether-you-love-god-say-nothing-this-is-because-if-you-say/) Al-Fudhayl bin 'Iyyadh Browse all 124 Contradict quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Perhaps some of my hearers this evening may have occasionally heard it stated of me that I am rather apt to contradict myself. I hope I am exceedingly apt to do so. I never met wth a question yet, of any importance, which did not need, for the right solution of it, at least one positive and one negative answer, like an equation of the second degree. Mostly, matters of any consequence are three-sided, or four-sided, or polygonal; and the trotting round a polygon is severe work for people any way stiff in their opinions. For myself, I am never satisfied that I have handled a subject properly till I have contradicted myself at least three times: but once must do for this evening.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ruskin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening-may-have-occasionally-heard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contradict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening-may-have-occasionally-heard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf6/john-ruskin-314_three-times_perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening_1164450.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Perhaps some of my hearers this evening may have occasionally heard it stated of me that I am rather apt to…” — John Ruskin", "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": "John Ruskin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Perhaps some of my hearers this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening-may-have-occasionally-heard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/perhaps-some-of-my-hearers-this-evening-may-have-occasionally-heard/#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 } } ] } ```