--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had always been a middle-of-the-road…" description: "\"“He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never submitted word for word to anyone's command, but neither had he passionately rebelled again..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg" --- # He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never… ![“He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never submitted word for word to anyone's command, but neither had he passionately rebelled against anyone's advice. Depending upon the interpretation, this was the posture of a schemer or the strategy of a born vacillator. If he himself had…” quote by Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg) > ““He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never submitted word for word to anyone's command, but neither had he passionately rebelled against anyone's advice. Depending upon the interpretation, this was the posture of a schemer or the strategy of a born vacillator. If he himself had been confronted with either of these charges, he could not have avoided wondering if they might not be true. But in large part, this was to be attributed neither to artifice nor to vacillation but rather to the flexibility of his vision, which allowed him to look in both directions at once. To this day, it was precisely this capacity that had always dampened his determination to advance singlemindedly toward a particular goal. It was not unusual for him to stand paralyzed in the midst of a situation. His posture of upholding the status quo was not the result of poverty of thought, but the product of lucid judgment; but he had never understood this truth about himself until he acted upon his beliefs with inviolable courage. The situation with Michiyo was precisely a case in point.”” [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person’s flexible, non‑committal mindset can hinder decisive action, yet it stems from thoughtful judgment rather than indecision. **In simple terms:** Flexibility can prevent firm progress. Key Takeaway Recognize when flexibility blocks goal pursuit. Themes indecision flexibility self‑awareness judgment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - creative projects - leadership dilemmas Key Concepts psychology human nature inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - How does your own flexibility affect your goals? - When is flexibility a strength versus a hindrance? A Different Perspective Flexibility may be mistaken for weakness, limiting ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Compulsion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsion/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Path of least resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-of-least-resistance/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [Vacillation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacillation/) ## Related quotes > [When you jump across a canyon, cautious small steps and vacillation won't work. Sometimes you just have to go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/when-you-jump-across-a-canyon-cautious-small-steps-and-vacillation/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [But it's precisely in this cold, loathsome half-despair, half-belief, in this deliberate burying of yourself underground for forty years out of sheer pain, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/but-it-s-precisely-in-this-cold-loathsome-half-despair-half-belief-in/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [On a day when all Americans, regardless of party affiliation, are celebrating the growth of freedom and honoring the sacrifices of American and Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/on-a-day-when-all-americans-regardless-of-party-affiliation-are/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [The resolution of the combat is seldom equal to the vehemence of the charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-resolution-of-the-combat-is-seldom-equal-to-the-vehemence-of-the/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The great lesson of history for us is that strength and resolve bring peace and order, and weakness and vacillation invite chaos and conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-great-lesson-of-history-for-us-is-that-strength-and-resolve-bring/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [Magic enables man to carry out with confidence his important tasks, to maintain his poise and his mental integrity in fits of anger, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/magic-enables-man-to-carry-out-with-confidence-his-important-tasks-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the question of women's sexual freedom or female independence, there are still issues that haven't been worked out. There's an aura of traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kipnis/on-the-question-of-women-s-sexual-freedom-or-female-independence/) [Laura Kipnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kipnis/) > [“Different though the sexes are, they inter-mix. In every human being a vacillation from one sex to the other takes place, and often it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/different-though-the-sexes-are-they-inter-mix-in-every-human-being-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It has not been unknown that judges persist in error to avoid giving the appearance of weakness and vacillation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/it-has-not-been-unknown-that-judges-persist-in-error-to-avoid-giving/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [No man has ever lived that had enough of children's gratitude or woman's love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/no-man-has-ever-lived-that-had-enough-of-children-s-gratitude-or/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [This is a wrong course the Chinese comrades are trying to lead us on to, it is an opportunist road of vacillation and concessions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enver-hoxha/this-is-a-wrong-course-the-chinese-comrades-are-trying-to-lead-us-on/) [Enver Hoxha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enver-hoxha/) > [The percentage of mistakes in quick decisions is no greater than in long-drawn-out vacillation, and the effect of decisiveness itself 'makes things go' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-percentage-of-mistakes-in-quick-decisions-is-no-greater-than-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In all the mad incongruity, the turgid stultiloquy of life, I felt, at least, securely anchored to myself. Whatever the vacillations of other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/in-all-the-mad-incongruity-the-turgid-stultiloquy-of-life-i-felt-at/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [... vicars of vacillation ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/vicars-of-vacillation/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [If we conceive that anyone loves, desires, or hates anything which we ourselves love, desire, or hate, we shall thereupon regard the thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/if-we-conceive-that-anyone-loves-desires-or-hates-anything-which-we/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) ## More by Natsume Sōseki > [“Daisuke was of course equipped with conversation that, even if they went further, would allow him to retreat as if nothing had happened. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/daisuke-was-of-course-equipped-with-conversation-that-even-if-they/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“His grin seemed to say, “It is, for some strange reason, considered proper to congratulate people on such occasions as this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/his-grin-seemed-to-say-it-is-for-some-strange-reason-considered/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“He is totally abandoned in the way he buys book after book, never to read a single one. I wouldn't mind if he used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/he-is-totally-abandoned-in-the-way-he-buys-book-after-book-never-to/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“Use your intellect to guide you, and you will end up putting people off. Rely on your emotions, and you will forever be pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/use-your-intellect-to-guide-you-and-you-will-end-up-putting-people/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“Living as I do with human beings, the more that I observe them, the more I am forced to conclude that they are selfish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/living-as-i-do-with-human-beings-the-more-that-i-observe-them-the/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“One day, with his usual head (I do not mean to imply that one can change heads as one changes hats, wearing at will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/one-day-with-his-usual-head-i-do-not-mean-to-imply-that-one-can/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“But do you imagine there’s a certain type of person in the world who conforms to the idea of a ‘bad person'? You’ll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/but-do-you-imagine-there-s-a-certain-type-of-person-in-the-world-who/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“You see, loneliness is the price we have to pay for being born in this modern age, so full of freedom, independence, and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/you-see-loneliness-is-the-price-we-have-to-pay-for-being-born-in-this/) [Natsume Soseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“It is painfully easy to define human beings. They are beings who, for no good reason at all, create their own unnecessary suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/it-is-painfully-easy-to-define-human-beings-they-are-beings-who-for/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“That Seigo could go into geisha houses, accept luncheon invitations, drop in at the Club, see people off at Shimabashi, meet them at Yokohama,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/that-seigo-could-go-into-geisha-houses-accept-luncheon-invitations/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“You seem to be under the impression that there is a special breed of bad humans. There is no such thing as a stereotype…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/you-seem-to-be-under-the-impression-that-there-is-a-special-breed-of/) [Natsume Soseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“If the Creator should take the line that I am born to work and not to sleep, I would agree that I am indeed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/if-the-creator-should-take-the-line-that-i-am-born-to-work-and-not-to/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“In Doya-sensei's view the world was a place to work for the sake of others; in Takayanagi's view the world was a place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/in-doya-sensei-s-view-the-world-was-a-place-to-work-for-the-sake-of/) [Natsume Soseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“Indeed, humans are the least reliable in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/indeed-humans-are-the-least-reliable-in-this-world/) [Natsume Soseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [“Did you not come to me because you felt there was something lacking?' 'Yes. But my going to you was not the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/did-you-not-come-to-me-because-you-felt-there-was-something-lacking/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) [Explore all 53 Natsume Sōseki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never submitted word for word to anyone's command, but neither had he passionately rebelled against anyone's advice. Depending upon the interpretation, this was the posture of a schemer or the strategy of a born vacillator. If he himself had been confronted with either of these charges, he could not have avoided wondering if they might not be true. But in large part, this was to be attributed neither to artifice nor to vacillation but rather to the flexibility of his vision, which allowed him to look in both directions at once. To this day, it was precisely this capacity that had always dampened his determination to advance singlemindedly toward a particular goal. It was not unusual for him to stand paralyzed in the midst of a situation. His posture of upholding the status quo was not the result of poverty of thought, but the product of lucid judgment; but he had never understood this truth about himself until he acted upon his beliefs with inviolable courage. The situation with Michiyo was precisely a case in point.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Natsume Sōseki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road-sort-he-had-never-submitted/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road-sort-he-had-never-submitted/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af7/natsume-s-seki-10250_action_he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road_245477.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He had always been a middle-of-the-road sort. He had never submitted word for word to anyone's command, but…” — Natsume Sōseki", "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": "Natsume Sōseki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He had always been a middle-of-the-road...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road-sort-he-had-never-submitted/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/he-had-always-been-a-middle-of-the-road-sort-he-had-never-submitted/#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 } } ] } ```