Arithmetic Quote by Laurence Sterne
“Tis no extravagant arithmetic to say, that for every ten jokes, thou hast got an hundred enemies; and till thou hast gone on, and raised a swarm of wasps about thine ears, and art half stung to death by them, thou wilt never be convinced it is so.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Tristram Shandy, Laurence Sterne, 1759
Excessive joking invites hostility; relentless teasing can backfire and cause harm.
In simple terms: Too many jokes create enemies and personal danger.
Key Takeaway
Balance humor with respect.
Themes
humor
social dynamics
consequences
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- social gatherings
- online forums
- political debate
- classroom discussions
Key Concepts
Satire
interpersonal conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- When does a joke cross the line?
- How do you recover from a joke that offended?
A Different Perspective
Humor can be misinterpreted or weaponized.
![“The venerable emeritus professors still at Yale when I entered graduate school [in the 1960s] may have been reserved, puritanical WASPs, but they were men of honor who had given their lives to scholarship. Today in the elite schools, honor and ethics are gone.” quote by Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/87e/camille-paglia-652_1960s_the-venerable-emeritus-professors-still_309445.jpg)
