--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing frustrates me more than someone…" description: "\"Nothing frustrates me more than someone who reads something of mine or anyone else's and says, angrily, 'I don't buy it.' Why are they angry? Good writ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_nothing-frustrates-me-more-than-someone_2533234.jpg" --- # Nothing frustrates me more than someone who reads… ![“Nothing frustrates me more than someone who reads something of mine or anyone else's and says, angrily, 'I don't buy it.' Why are they angry? Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make…” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_nothing-frustrates-me-more-than-someone_2533234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_nothing-frustrates-me-more-than-someone_2533234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af4/malcolm-gladwell-348_ability_nothing-frustrates-me-more-than-someone_2533234.jpg) > “Nothing frustrates me more than someone who reads something of mine or anyone else's and says, angrily, 'I don't buy it.' Why are they angry? Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else's head—even if in the end you conclude that someone else's head is not a place you'd really like to be.” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good writing engages readers, prompting thought and empathy, regardless of whether they agree with it. **In simple terms:** Engaging writing makes readers think and feel. Key Takeaway Focus on engagement over persuasion. Themes writing empathy critical thinking Mood inquisitive analytical Type educational thought‑provoking When to use this quote - author workshops - editorial reviews - creative writing classes Key Concepts narrative technique reader response psychology of persuasion Questions to Reflect On - How can you craft engaging yet challenging content? - What balance between persuasion and engagement? A Different Perspective Readers may reject uncomfortable perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-writing/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/good-writing-does-not-succeed-or-fail-on-the-strength-of-its-ability/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade...It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/good-writing-does-not-succeed-or-fail-on-the-strength-of-its-ability-2/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The power of music that poetry lacks is the ability to persuade without argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-matthews/the-power-of-music-that-poetry-lacks-is-the-ability-to-persuade/) [William Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-matthews/) > [I consider myself a persuasive person. With the ability to persuade comes a certain level of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ertharin-cousin/i-consider-myself-a-persuasive-person-with-the-ability-to-persuade/) [Ertharin Cousin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ertharin-cousin/) > [Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/reacting-in-anger-or-annoyance-will-not-advance-one-s-ability-to/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [Cheney was among the best secretaries of defence the country has ever had. He was a very effective White House chief of staff. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/cheney-was-among-the-best-secretaries-of-defence-the-country-has-ever/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I think finally good writing gets out there, and people like it, and bad writing doesn't. Well, no. Bad writing does get out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-think-finally-good-writing-gets-out-there-and-people-like-it-and/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [Sometime really good writing does you a disservice as an actor. Because you can get lazy. It's doing a lot of the work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometime-really-good-writing-does-you-a-disservice-as-an-actor/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [“We, in the interest of the so-called progress, have been persuaded to leave the production and at times the cooking of our food to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/we-in-the-interest-of-the-so-called-progress-have-been-persuaded-to/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A relationship is likely to last way longer, if each partner convinces or has convinced themselves that they do not deserve their partner, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-relationship-is-likely-to-last-way-longer-if-each-partner-convinces/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“When you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/when-you-laugh-laugh-like-hell-and-when-you-get-angry-get-good-and/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [I never felt that getting angry would do you any good other than hurt your own digestion- keep you from eating, which I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/septima-poinsette-clark/i-never-felt-that-getting-angry-would-do-you-any-good-other-than-hurt/) [Septima Poinsette Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/septima-poinsette-clark/) > [Well, all comedy starts with anger. You get angry, and its never for a good reason, right? You know its not a good reason.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/well-all-comedy-starts-with-anger-you-get-angry-and-its-never-for-a/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I never felt that getting angry would do you any good otherthan hurt your own digestionkeep you from eating, which I liked to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-felt-that-getting-angry-would-do-you-any-good-otherthan-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be angry is very good. It burns out things and leaves nutrients in the soil. You should always be ready to be angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/to-be-angry-is-very-good-it-burns-out-things-and-leaves-nutrients-in/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“The scholars who research happiness suggest that more money stops making people happier at a family income of around seventy-five thousand dollars a year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-scholars-who-research-happiness-suggest-that-more-money-stops/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [We need to be clear when we venerate entrepreneurs what we are venerating.They are not moral leaders. If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [A handicap is like trying to race and you have a ten pound weight stuck to your waist. That is a handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/a-handicap-is-like-trying-to-race-and-you-have-a-ten-pound-weight/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“People are ruined by challenged economic lives. But they are ruined by wealth as well because they lose their ambition and they lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-ruined-by-challenged-economic-lives-but-they-are-ruined-by/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The single most important thing a city can do is provide a community where interesting, smart people want to live with their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-single-most-important-thing-a-city-can-do-is-provide-a-community/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ \[Norden\] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bombsight-he-could-drop-a-bomb/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The willingness to be self-critical in England is much greater than the willingness to be self-critical in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-willingness-to-be-self-critical-in-england-is-much-greater-than/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The conventional explanation for Jewish success, of course, is that Jews come from a literate, intellectual culture. They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Explore all 647 Malcolm Gladwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing frustrates me more than someone who reads something of mine or anyone else's and says, angrily, 'I don't buy it.' 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