--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can knock on a deaf man's door forever." description: "\"You can knock on a deaf man's door forever.\" — Nikos Kazantzakis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg" --- # You can knock on a deaf man's door forever. ![“You can knock on a deaf man's door forever.” quote by Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg) > “You can knock on a deaf man's door forever.” [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Persistent effort without response is futile; communication requires receptivity. **In simple terms:** Knocking on a deaf door is pointless. Key Takeaway Seek receptive audiences. Themes communication patience effort Mood frustrated reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - sales pitches - relationship building - teaching - advocacy Key Concepts receptivity feedback misunderstanding Questions to Reflect On - How can you tell if your audience is receptive? - What strategies improve mutual understanding? A Different Perspective Even with effort, lack of openness prevents progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-woods-fisher/opportunity-may-knock-once-but-temptation-bangs-on-your-front-door/) [Suzanne Woods Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-woods-fisher/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [There is a master way with words that cannot be learned but instead developed: a deaf man develops exceptional vision, a blind man exceptional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/there-is-a-master-way-with-words-that-cannot-be-learned-but-instead/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Beethoven's last quartets were written by a deaf man and should only be listened to by a deaf man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/beethoven-s-last-quartets-were-written-by-a-deaf-man-and-should-only/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [“Ah, dear Jude; that's because you are like a totally deaf man observing people listening to music. You say 'What are they regarding? Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/ah-dear-jude-that-s-because-you-are-like-a-totally-deaf-man-observing/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [Opportunity never knocks twice at any man's door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/opportunity-never-knocks-twice-at-any-man-s-door/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Opportunity knocks at every man's door once. On some men's door it hammers till it breaks down the door and then it goes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finley-peter-dunne/opportunity-knocks-at-every-man-s-door-once-on-some-men-s-door-it/) [Finley Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finley-peter-dunne/) > [Fortune knocks at every man's door once in a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/fortune-knocks-at-every-man-s-door-once-in-a-life/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Every man is a door; when the door is closed, just search for the key gently! Remember that every door has a key!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/every-man-is-a-door-when-the-door-is-closed-just-search-for-the-key/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“And some man can't be the door to what you want. All a man can do is love you, be family with you, help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-pearlman/and-some-man-can-t-be-the-door-to-what-you-want-all-a-man-can-do-is/) [Ann Pearlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-pearlman/) > [“It is a well–known fact that the greater a man is the less he has on his door–plate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/it-is-a-well-known-fact-that-the-greater-a-man-is-the-less-he-has-on/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Opportunity knocks once at every man's door and then keeps on knocking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ade/opportunity-knocks-once-at-every-man-s-door-and-then-keeps-on-knocking/) [George Ade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ade/) > [“Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/eyes-are-a-deaf-man-s-ears-ears-are-a-blind-man-s-eyes/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The most happy marriage I can imagine to myself would be the union of a deaf man to a blind woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-most-happy-marriage-i-can-imagine-to-myself-would-be-the-union-of/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“the deaf man interrupted. “Let the boys”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-w-dixon/the-deaf-man-interrupted-let-the-boys/) [Franklin W. Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-w-dixon/) ## More by Nikos Kazantzakis > [“We gaze with perplexity at the highest part of the spiral of force that governs the Universe. And we call it God. We could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/we-gaze-with-perplexity-at-the-highest-part-of-the-spiral-of-force/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [I collect my tools: sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing, intellect. Night has fallen...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/i-collect-my-tools-sight-smell-touch-taste-hearing-intellect-night/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [Everything in this world has a hidden meaning, I thought. Men, animals, trees, stars, they are all hieroglyphics; woe to anyone who begins to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/everything-in-this-world-has-a-hidden-meaning-i-thought-men-animals/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [Good Lord, how can the rich bear to die?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/good-lord-how-can-the-rich-bear-to-die/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“Religion is opium for the masses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/religion-is-opium-for-the-masses/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [I possess no weapon but love. With that I have come to do battle. Help me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/i-possess-no-weapon-but-love-with-that-i-have-come-to-do-battle-help/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [Today, any action anywhere on earth has an immediate repercussion on all five continents. News of a victory of the Eastern armies in Morocco…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/today-any-action-anywhere-on-earth-has-an-immediate-repercussion-on/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“The Lord preserve us from sainthood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/the-lord-preserve-us-from-sainthood/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“You have everything but one thing: madness. A man needs a little madness or else - he never dares cut the rope and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/you-have-everything-but-one-thing-madness-a-man-needs-a-little/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“A man needs a little madness, or else... he never dares cut the rope and be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/a-man-needs-a-little-madness-or-else-he-never-dares-cut-the-rope-and/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [There's a devil inside me which cries, "You're not the son of the Carpenter, you're the son of King David! You are not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/there-s-a-devil-inside-me-which-cries-you-re-not-the-son-of-the/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [Lions and Lambs, love and force, light and fire, good and evil: all things climb the same mountain, the mountain of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/lions-and-lambs-love-and-force-light-and-fire-good-and-evil-all/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [I say one thing, you write another, and those who read you understand still something else! I say: cross, death, kingdom of heaven, God...and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/i-say-one-thing-you-write-another-and-those-who-read-you-understand/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“No, you're not free," he said. "The string you're tied to is perhaps no longer than other people's. That's all. You're on a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/no-you-re-not-free-he-said-the-string-you-re-tied-to-is-perhaps-no/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [The masses do not see the Sirens. They do not hear songs in the air. Blind, deaf, stooping, they pull at their oars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/the-masses-do-not-see-the-sirens-they-do-not-hear-songs-in-the-air/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) [Explore all 275 Nikos Kazantzakis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) ## More Deaf quotes > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) > [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“The rich eat life, the poor eat death; so what is the problem they ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-rich-eat-life-the-poor-eat-death-so-what-is-the-problem-they-ask/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [My girlfriend and I went to a dinner party the other night and we ended up playing charades. There was another couple there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/my-girlfriend-and-i-went-to-a-dinner-party-the-other-night-and-we/) [Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/) > [In other restaurants you'll see employees signing to each other, since we also hire many deaf men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-karcher/in-other-restaurants-you-ll-see-employees-signing-to-each-other-since/) [Carl Karcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-karcher/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [I will love you till a mute women tells his deaf friend about a blind women that saw a girl with no legs walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-love-you-till-a-mute-women-tells-his-deaf-friend-about-a-blind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [So the blind will lead the blind, and the deaf shout warnings to one another until their voices are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/so-the-blind-will-lead-the-blind-and-the-deaf-shout-warnings-to-one/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Most profoundly deaf people have speech that is very difficult to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-masur/most-profoundly-deaf-people-have-speech-that-is-very-difficult-to/) [Richard Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-masur/) > [But people who think they can project themselves into deafness are mistaken because you can't. And I'm not talking about imagining what a deaf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-masur/but-people-who-think-they-can-project-themselves-into-deafness-are/) [Richard Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-masur/) > [There's none as deaf as those who won't listen. I get letters. If they are moronic, they go in the wastepaper basket, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bates/there-s-none-as-deaf-as-those-who-won-t-listen-i-get-letters-if-they/) [Ken Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bates/) > [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) Browse all 854 Deaf quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can knock on a deaf man's door forever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nikos Kazantzakis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deaf" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e67/nikos-kazantzakis-1116_deaf_you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forev_3201878.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can knock on a deaf man's door forever.” — Nikos Kazantzakis", "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": "Nikos Kazantzakis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can knock on a deaf...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/you-can-knock-on-a-deaf-man-s-door-forever/#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 } } ] } ```