--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Custom is custom: it is built of brass…" description: "\"Custom is custom: it is built of brass, boiler-iron, granite; facts, reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have upon Gi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be9/mark-twain-22_argument_custom-is-custom-it-is-built-of-brass-bo_102558.png" --- # Custom is custom: it is built of brass, boiler-iron… ![“Custom is custom: it is built of brass, boiler-iron, granite; facts, reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have upon Gibraltar.” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be9/mark-twain-22_argument_custom-is-custom-it-is-built-of-brass-bo_102558.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be9/mark-twain-22_argument_custom-is-custom-it-is-built-of-brass-bo_102558.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be9/mark-twain-22_argument_custom-is-custom-it-is-built-of-brass-bo_102558.png) > “Custom is custom: it is built of brass, boiler-iron, granite; facts, reasonings, arguments have no more effect upon it than the idle winds have upon Gibraltar.” [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Twain likens entrenched customs to immovable stone, suggesting that rational arguments have little impact on long‑standing traditions. **In simple terms:** Customs resist logical persuasion. Key Takeaway Tradition outweighs reason. Themes tradition custom reason social inertia change Mood wry observational Type aphorism social commentary When to use this quote - policy reform - organizational change - family traditions - public health campaigns Key Concepts cultural rigidity psychological resistance Practical Applications - use storytelling to shift customs - pair facts with emotional narratives Questions to Reflect On - Why do people cling to customs despite evidence? - What strategies can effectively challenge entrenched traditions? A Different Perspective Occasionally, rational evidence does reshape customs, especially when coupled with strong leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Boiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boiler/) [Brass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brass/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Built Brass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built-brass-1239014/) [Custom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/custom/) [Custom Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/custom-built-1239013/) [Custom Custom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/custom-custom-1239011/) [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Granite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/granite/) [Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idle/) [Iron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iron/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Reasoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) [Winds Gibraltar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winds-gibraltar-1239012/) ## Related quotes > [Consider him in his highest incarnation: the university professor. 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