--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is useless to close the gates against…" description: "\"It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overlap them.\" — Klemens von Metternich" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg" --- # It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they… ![“It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overlap them.” quote by Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg) > “It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overlap them.” [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas cannot be blocked by physical barriers; they find ways to bypass restrictions. **In simple terms:** Ideas slip through barriers. Key Takeaway Encourage open dialogue. Themes freedom of thought innovation resilience Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - education - creative work - social movements Key Concepts political theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure ideas are heard? - What barriers hinder innovation? A Different Perspective Ideas may be suppressed temporarily but can resurface. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Close Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-gates-1378049/) [Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gates/) [Gates Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gates-ideas-3805995/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Overlap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-overlap-3805993/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) [Useless Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless-close-3805994/) [Uselessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uselessness/) ## Related quotes > [“And you are going to close the gates, because I told you to close the gates.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilari-bell/and-you-are-going-to-close-the-gates-because-i-told-you-to-close-the/) [Hilari Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilari-bell/) > [“What an excellent father you have, girls!' said she, when the door was shut. 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The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-o-keefe/his-uselessness-ached-the/) [Molly O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-o-keefe/) > [“Our only real pleasure is to squander our resources to no purpose, just as if a wound were bleeding away inside us; we always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/our-only-real-pleasure-is-to-squander-our-resources-to-no-purpose/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [“He wishes he were a skilled poet, it would fit his chosen image perfectly; the poor, tragic, tortured artiste. But he has no talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-ackie/he-wishes-he-were-a-skilled-poet-it-would-fit-his-chosen-image/) [Curtis Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-ackie/) > [“they were nice in a useless sort of way, which is, after all, the only way to be truly nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/they-were-nice-in-a-useless-sort-of-way-which-is-after-all-the-only/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) ## More by Klemens von Metternich > [The events which can not be prevented, must be directed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/the-events-which-can-not-be-prevented-must-be-directed/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [When Paris sneezes, Europe catches a cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/when-paris-sneezes-europe-catches-a-cold/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [Stability is not immobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/stability-is-not-immobility/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [Error has never approached my spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/error-has-never-approached-my-spirit/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [Men like M. de Talleyrand are like sharp instruments with which it is dangerous to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/men-like-m-de-talleyrand-are-like-sharp-instruments-with-which-it-is/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [I have never feared that the revolution would be engendered by the universities; but that at them a whole generation of revolutionaries must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/i-have-never-feared-that-the-revolution-would-be-engendered-by-the/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [When France sneezes, all of Europe catches cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/when-france-sneezes-all-of-europe-catches-cold/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [In Europe democracy is a falsehood. I do not know where it will end, but it cannot end in a quiet old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/in-europe-democracy-is-a-falsehood-i-do-not-know-where-it-will-end/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [Any plan conceived in moderation must fail when the circumstances are set in extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/any-plan-conceived-in-moderation-must-fail-when-the-circumstances-are/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [When Paris has a cold, all Europe sneezes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/when-paris-has-a-cold-all-europe-sneezes/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [The word 'Italy' is a geographical expression, a description which is useful shorthand, but has none of the political significance the efforts of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/the-word-italy-is-a-geographical-expression-a-description-which-is/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [The obvious is always least understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/the-obvious-is-always-least-understood/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [Ten million ignorances do not constitute one knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/ten-million-ignorances-do-not-constitute-one-knowledge/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [The word 'freedom' means for me not a point of departure but a genuine point of arrival. The point of departure is defined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/the-word-freedom-means-for-me-not-a-point-of-departure-but-a-genuine/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) > [Italy is only a geographical expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/italy-is-only-a-geographical-expression/) [Klemens von Metternich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) [Explore all 18 Klemens von Metternich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/) ## More Gates quotes > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [If Bill Gates left Microsoft we wouldn't allow Donald Trump to run it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/if-bill-gates-left-microsoft-we-wouldn-t-allow-donald-trump-to-run-it/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [I don't think generally speaking, there are a lot of innovators and inventors. Many of the designers take what exists already and update it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/i-don-t-think-generally-speaking-there-are-a-lot-of-innovators-and/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [There's nothing nice about Steve Jobs and there's nothing evil about Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-peddle/there-s-nothing-nice-about-steve-jobs-and-there-s-nothing-evil-about/) [Chuck Peddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-peddle/) > [ Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster. (Or, sometimes known by\] Grove \[the head of Intel\] giveth and Gates \[the head of Microsoft\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklaus-wirth/software-gets-slower-faster-than-hardware-gets-faster-or-sometimes/) [Niklaus Wirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklaus-wirth/) > [Hateful to me as are the gates of hell, Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart, Utters another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/hateful-to-me-as-are-the-gates-of-hell-is-he-who-hiding-one-thing-in/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Astrology is knocking at the gates of our universities: A Tübingen professor has switched over to astrology and a course on astrology was given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/astrology-is-knocking-at-the-gates-of-our-universities-a-t-bingen/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [The incorruptible things are all within the narrow gate. The peace of God which passed all understanding - the bright hope of good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-incorruptible-things-are-all-within-the-narrow-gate-the-peace-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's been said that Bill Gates has come up with something that'll be released in December that's gonna put a lid on counterfeiting. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/it-s-been-said-that-bill-gates-has-come-up-with-something-that-ll-be/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [Artists are the gate keepers of truth. We are civilization’s radical voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/artists-are-the-gate-keepers-of-truth-we-are-civilization-s-radical/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [ The other thing we did as government is to open gates for the civilians to leave that \[ eastern part\] area \[in Aleppo\], and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-other-thing-we-did-as-government-is-to-open-gates-for-the/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The golden gate to peace in life is the experience of bliss, and it is easy for everyone to acquire this great glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-golden-gate-to-peace-in-life-is-the-experience-of-bliss-and-it-is/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [Suffering for truth's sake Is fortitude to highest victory, And to the faithful death the gate of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/suffering-for-truth-s-sake-is-fortitude-to-highest-victory-and-to-the/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Browse all 1,062 Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gates/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overlap them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Klemens von Metternich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against-ideas-they-overlap-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gates" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against-ideas-they-overlap-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/klemens-von-metternich-29711_gates_it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against_432000.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is useless to close the gates against ideas; they overlap them.” — Klemens von Metternich", "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": "Klemens von Metternich", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klemens-von-metternich/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is useless to close the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against-ideas-they-overlap-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klemens-von-metternich/it-is-useless-to-close-the-gates-against-ideas-they-overlap-them/#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 } } ] } ```