--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would say [to my father], \"Why don't…" description: "\"I would say [to my father], \"Why don't you actually take some courses in physics instead of saying [you are not believing in gravity]?\" But he would ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/paul-laffoley-7077_believe_i-would-say-to-my-father-why-don-t-you-a_374065.jpg" --- # I would say \[to my father\], "Why don't you actually take… ![“I would say [to my father], "Why don't you actually take some courses in physics instead of saying [you are not believing in gravity]?" But he would never do it. Businessmen for some reason or other, think, because they're successful in a single direction, that they know everything. You know what…” quote by Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/paul-laffoley-7077_believe_i-would-say-to-my-father-why-don-t-you-a_374065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/paul-laffoley-7077_believe_i-would-say-to-my-father-why-don-t-you-a_374065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/paul-laffoley-7077_believe_i-would-say-to-my-father-why-don-t-you-a_374065.jpg) > “I would say \[to my father\], "Why don't you actually take some courses in physics instead of saying \[you are not believing in gravity\]?" But he would never do it. Businessmen for some reason or other, think, because they're successful in a single direction, that they know everything. You know what I mean? You ever meet people like that?” [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Specialization can breed overconfidence, limiting openness to other fields. **In simple terms:** Narrow focus can create arrogance. Key Takeaway Stay curious and interdisciplinary. Themes education expertise humility Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career development - academic mentorship - cross‑disciplinary projects Key Concepts psychology learning theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you encourage broader learning? - What signs show overconfidence in expertise? A Different Perspective Overcoming ingrained habits may be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Businessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businessman/) [Businessmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businessmen/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Not believing in force is the same as not believing in gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/not-believing-in-force-is-the-same-as-not-believing-in-gravity/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [ \[My father\] had this quirky thing of not believing in gravity. And giving me a constant headache about that one. He would say if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/my-father-had-this-quirky-thing-of-not-believing-in-gravity-and/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [Politicians are enormously smart and rational. They don't have the same interests as businessmen ... But a man rises to the top of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/politicians-are-enormously-smart-and-rational-they-don-t-have-the/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [Hollywood was set up by a bunch of businessmen. They do not see their job as being philanthropists. I don't think it's a contradiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/hollywood-was-set-up-by-a-bunch-of-businessmen-they-do-not-see-their/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [Many marriages are simply working partnerships between businessmen and housekeepers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/many-marriages-are-simply-working-partnerships-between-businessmen/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Businessmen need to understand the challenges of society and contribute to solving them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-pinchuk/businessmen-need-to-understand-the-challenges-of-society-and/) [Victor Pinchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-pinchuk/) > [I'm gonna go down in history as being one of the best music men and businessmen in entertainment ... The people that I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puff-daddy/i-m-gonna-go-down-in-history-as-being-one-of-the-best-music-men-and/) [Puff Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puff-daddy/) > [Businessmen are notable for a peculiarly stalwart character, which enables them to enjoy without loss of self-reliance the benefits of tariffs, franchises, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-j-muller/businessmen-are-notable-for-a-peculiarly-stalwart-character-which/) [Herbert J. Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-j-muller/) > [Businessmen in society are not going to be the ones that promote anything outside of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/businessmen-in-society-are-not-going-to-be-the-ones-that-promote/) M.I.A > [Great businessmen are creators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/great-businessmen-are-creators/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [The actor's role in the community is quite unlike anyone else's. Businessmen, for example, don't take their clothes off or cry in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/the-actor-s-role-in-the-community-is-quite-unlike-anyone-else-s/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [The simple truth is that our businessmen do not want a government that will let business alone. They want a government they can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/the-simple-truth-is-that-our-businessmen-do-not-want-a-government/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [In the United States businessmen often do not trust their colleagues. If you trust your colleague today, he may be your competitor tomorrow, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/in-the-united-states-businessmen-often-do-not-trust-their-colleagues/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Musicians talk of nothing but money and jobs. Give me businessmen every time. They really are interested in music and art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/musicians-talk-of-nothing-but-money-and-jobs-give-me-businessmen/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) ## More by Paul Laffoley > [ I first heard of \[Orfeo Angelucci\] from Giuseppe Conti who gave me some books by him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-first-heard-of-orfeo-angelucci-from-giuseppe-conti-who-gave-me-some/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ The whole thing that Dante \[Alighieri\] did was summed up in the medieval world. It's like St. Thomas Aquinas, the Summa Theologica. He didn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/the-whole-thing-that-dante-alighieri-did-was-summed-up-in-the/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ You know, Mick Jagger's "Sympathy for the Devil." I think it was inspired by that \[H.P.Lovecraft stories\]. 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It's keeping an open mind on whether gravity exists or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/stephen-hawking-won-babson-institute-competition-one-year-with-his/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [I would say that it's probably impossible for a lot of people to even think what H.P. Lovecraft's theological state was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-would-say-that-it-s-probably-impossible-for-a-lot-of-people-to-even/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [My father was an extremely brilliant man. I consider him a genius, and so he probably could have joined Mensa. But why? I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/my-father-was-an-extremely-brilliant-man-i-consider-him-a-genius-and/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ \[My father\] was always saying I'd end up like my grandfather. Okay. My grandfather was an architect, I'm an architect. It's true, certain characteristics… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/my-father-was-always-saying-i-d-end-up-like-my-grandfather-okay-my/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ From the time of Dante \[Alighieri\], when you have the Ptolemaic universe, you had God on the outside like a hypersphere, and then in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/from-the-time-of-dante-alighieri-when-you-have-the-ptolemaic-universe/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ Walter C. Wright has a more cogent presentation than my father did about \[gravity\] being a push. But he had the same basic belief,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/walter-c-wright-has-a-more-cogent-presentation-than-my-father-did/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ I began to analyze the movie \[The Day the Earth Stood Still\] and said it was really made out of these two characters \[Nikola… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/i-began-to-analyze-the-movie-the-day-the-earth-stood-still-and-said/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [ When \[my father\] reached his majority, he was the head of the family. Everybody depended upon him. He went into a very uptight appearance;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/when-my-father-reached-his-majority-he-was-the-head-of-the-family/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) [Explore all 95 Paul Laffoley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would say [to my father], \"Why don't you actually take some courses in physics instead of saying [you are not believing in gravity]?\" But he would never do it. Businessmen for some reason or other, think, because they're successful in a single direction, that they know everything. You know what I mean? 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