--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have this terrible struggle to try to…" description: "\"We have this terrible struggle to try to explain things to people who have no reason to want to know.\" — Richard P. Feynman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1f/richard-p-feynman-495_communication_we-have-this-terrible-struggle-to-try-to_2420997.png" --- # We have this terrible struggle to try to explain things to… ![“We have this terrible struggle to try to explain things to people who have no reason to want to know.” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1f/richard-p-feynman-495_communication_we-have-this-terrible-struggle-to-try-to_2420997.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1f/richard-p-feynman-495_communication_we-have-this-terrible-struggle-to-try-to_2420997.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1f/richard-p-feynman-495_communication_we-have-this-terrible-struggle-to-try-to_2420997.png) > “We have this terrible struggle to try to explain things to people who have no reason to want to know.” [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explaining to those uninterested is futile; focus on those eager to learn. **In simple terms:** Teaching the disinterested wastes effort. Key Takeaway Find receptive audiences for your ideas. Themes education communication motivation Mood inspired determined Type educational motivational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - public talks - science outreach - mentorship Key Concepts science communication pedagogy Questions to Reflect On - Who is your ideal audience? - How can you spark curiosity in the indifferent? A Different Perspective Some audiences may become interested if presented engagingly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [“The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being played out. It is not only a struggle for our land, it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent-history-is-being-played-out/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [The Clinton administration hated us, and it was a terrible struggle with them. I think that they felt if they didn't play, they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-hume/the-clinton-administration-hated-us-and-it-was-a-terrible-struggle/) [Brit Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-hume/) > [Writing is a necessity and often a pleasure, but at the same time, it can be a great burden and a terrible struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/writing-is-a-necessity-and-often-a-pleasure-but-at-the-same-time-it/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [Don't try to explain it, just sell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-tom-parker/don-t-try-to-explain-it-just-sell-it/) [Colonel Tom Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-tom-parker/) > [The more I try to explain myself, the less I understand myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/the-more-i-try-to-explain-myself-the-less-i-understand-myself/) [Eugene Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [I guess I want people to see me and to try to explain myself, and you don't always get the chance. Sometimes you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/i-guess-i-want-people-to-see-me-and-to-try-to-explain-myself-and-you/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [“We should try to explain ourselves only to those who value us in their life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/we-should-try-to-explain-ourselves-only-to-those-who-value-us-in/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“I know well enough what it is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine-of-hippo/i-know-well-enough-what-it-is-provided-that-nobody-asks-me-but-if-i/) [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine-of-hippo/) > [Truth Is Simple... But, The Moment You Try To Explain... It Becomes Difficult...!!.:-)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/truth-is-simple-but-the-moment-you-try-to-explain-it-becomes-difficult/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [If you really want to understand something, the best way is to try and explain it to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/if-you-really-want-to-understand-something-the-best-way-is-to-try-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I hate it when people try to explain music. The best thing about music is that it's invisible. 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Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [“There's a big difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-s-a-big-difference-between-knowing-the-name-of-something-and/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/) [Richard P. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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