--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot argue stupidity, you just have…" description: "\"You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it patiently as one of those things.\" — Nevil Shute" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg" --- # You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it… ![“You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it patiently as one of those things.” quote by Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg) > “You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it patiently as one of those things.” [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that irrationality cannot be debated, only tolerated. **In simple terms:** Stupidity must be accepted, not argued. Key Takeaway Accept irrationality calmly. Themes patience irrationality communication Mood calm reflective Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - workplace - family - political discourse - online debates Key Concepts logic acceptance Questions to Reflect On - When have you tolerated unreasonable behavior? - How can you set boundaries while staying patient? A Different Perspective May enable harmful ideas to persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accept Patiently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accept-patiently-1882617/) [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Argue Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argue-stupidity-1882616/) [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Just Accept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-accept/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Stupidity Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity-just-900596/) ## Related quotes > [You can't argue with stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-jackson/you-can-t-argue-with-stupidity/) [Jermaine Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-jackson/) > [“It's not that there is more stupidity. It just has more intrusive ways of presenting itself. It used to be, you could be near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-levine/it-s-not-that-there-is-more-stupidity-it-just-has-more-intrusive-ways/) [Tom Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-levine/) > [I would argue that stupidity is born out of bad reading, bad teaching and bad thinking!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-would-argue-that-stupidity-is-born-out-of-bad-reading-bad-teaching/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Haw! Haw! Inconceivable stupidity is just what you're going to get! (Brigadier-General Henry Wilson, on being challenged in 1910 about the likelihood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-hastings/haw-haw-inconceivable-stupidity-is-just-what-you-re-going-to-get/) [Max Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-hastings/) > [Pretending is not easy, Just accept the reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-cherry-belle/pretending-is-not-easy-just-accept-the-reality/) [Jimenez Cherry Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-cherry-belle/) > [You can't change someone. The best thing you can do for someone is to just accept them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-wilson/you-can-t-change-someone-the-best-thing-you-can-do-for-someone-is-to/) [Guy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-wilson/) > [“If you mistake; just accept that rather than you are going through to make another mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehsan-sehgal/if-you-mistake-just-accept-that-rather-than-you-are-going-through-to/) [Ehsan Sehgal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehsan-sehgal/) > [You don't forget someone you used to love, you just accept the fact that you were not meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-forget-someone-you-used-to-love-you-just-accept-the-fact/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't want to get complacent and just accept things - just because we've had those moments and we have come so far, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/you-don-t-want-to-get-complacent-and-just-accept-things-just-because/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [The minute you learn to accept something, it is no longer that troublesome. You can live with anything and everything. Haven't you known of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-minute-you-learn-to-accept-something-it-is-no-longer-that/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [What has become of society now these days? It's not simple anymore; well life has never been simple though. Why can't people just accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-hough/what-has-become-of-society-now-these-days-it-s-not-simple-anymore/) [Abigail Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-hough/) > [I'm not as good as I seem nor as bad as many think I am...I'm just myself, so accept it or leave me be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-gonzalez/i-m-not-as-good-as-i-seem-nor-as-bad-as-many-think-i-am-i-m-just/) [Joaquin Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-gonzalez/) > [It is alright that u love someone and they don't love u back just accept and find someone else just be true to yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-alright-that-u-love-someone-and-they-don-t-love-u-back-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No matter what your dream job is, you'll likely hear 'no' many times before you achieve your goals. Just accept that as a fact.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-bream/no-matter-what-your-dream-job-is-you-ll-likely-hear-no-many-times/) [Shannon Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-bream/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) ## More by Nevil Shute > [ The thing most worth doing in this modern world \[is to\] create jobs that men can work at, and be proud of, and make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/the-thing-most-worth-doing-in-this-modern-world-is-to-create-jobs/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“By 1948 I was safe on my feet and able to get about quite normally, but I was thirty-four and life was slipping past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/by-1948-i-was-safe-on-my-feet-and-able-to-get-about-quite-normally/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“You could have done something with newspapers. We didn't do it. No nation did, because we were all too silly. We liked our newspapers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/you-could-have-done-something-with-newspapers-we-didn-t-do-it-no/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“Until we’re dead, we Service people, the world will always be in danger of another war. We had too good a time in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/until-we-re-dead-we-service-people-the-world-will-always-be-in-danger/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [If what they say is right we're none of us going to have time to do all that we planned to do. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/if-what-they-say-is-right-we-re-none-of-us-going-to-have-time-to-do/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [She looked at him in wonder. "Do people think of me like that? I only did what anybody could have done." "That's as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/she-looked-at-him-in-wonder-do-people-think-of-me-like-that-i-only/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [I'm glad we haven't got newspapers now. It's been much nicer without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/i-m-glad-we-haven-t-got-newspapers-now-it-s-been-much-nicer-without/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,” he said, “from whence cometh my help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/i-will-lift-up-mine-eyes-unto-the-hills-he-said-from-whence-cometh-my/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [Aircraft do not crash of themselves. They come to grief because men are foolish, or vain, or lazy, or irresolute or reckless. One crash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/aircraft-do-not-crash-of-themselves-they-come-to-grief-because-men/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [When I was first sent from H.M.S. King Alfred to be interviewed by Goodeve in the Admiralty, I was furious. The War seemed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/when-i-was-first-sent-from-h-m-s-king-alfred-to-be-interviewed-by/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“Only by an act of treachery to those who believe in us can either of us escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/only-by-an-act-of-treachery-to-those-who-believe-in-us-can-either-of/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“Here they go cruising for a fortnight up in parts where everyone is dead of radiation, and all that they can catch is measles!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/here-they-go-cruising-for-a-fortnight-up-in-parts-where-everyone-is/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [“Security was now a thing of the past though it took a conscious effort to remember it; with no enemy in all the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/security-was-now-a-thing-of-the-past-though-it-took-a-conscious/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [Without work men are utterly undone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/without-work-men-are-utterly-undone/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [Remember that the Clerget lands very fast, at over forty miles an hour, and with that great engine in the nose the tail was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/remember-that-the-clerget-lands-very-fast-at-over-forty-miles-an-hour/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) [Explore all 39 Nevil Shute quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it patiently as one of those things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nevil Shute" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have-to-accept-it-patiently-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have-to-accept-it-patiently-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/nevil-shute-16517_accepting_you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have_973282.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot argue stupidity, you just have to accept it patiently as one of those things.” — Nevil Shute", "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": "Nevil Shute", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You cannot argue stupidity, you just...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have-to-accept-it-patiently-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/you-cannot-argue-stupidity-you-just-have-to-accept-it-patiently-as/#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 } } ] } ```