--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Straining at gnats and swallowing camels…" description: "\"Straining at gnats and swallowing camels is a required course in law schools.\" — Robert A. Heinlein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/robert-a-heinlein-209_camels_straining-at-gnats-and-swallowing-camels_949072.jpg" --- # Straining at gnats and swallowing camels is a required… ![“Straining at gnats and swallowing camels is a required course in law schools.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/robert-a-heinlein-209_camels_straining-at-gnats-and-swallowing-camels_949072.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/robert-a-heinlein-209_camels_straining-at-gnats-and-swallowing-camels_949072.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/robert-a-heinlein-209_camels_straining-at-gnats-and-swallowing-camels_949072.jpg) > “Straining at gnats and swallowing camels is a required course in law schools.” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satirically criticizes legal education for focusing on trivial details while ignoring larger, more important issues. **In simple terms:** Law school focuses on minor points, neglecting big problems. Key Takeaway Pay attention to the bigger picture. Themes education law critical thinking Mood iric critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - law school curriculum - policy analysis - student advocacy Key Concepts satire prioritization Questions to Reflect On - What important issues are overlooked in your field? - How can curricula balance detail and breadth? A Different Perspective It may overgeneralize the law school experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Camels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camels/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [Of course the law's not racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aasif-mandvi/of-course-the-law-s-not-racist/) [Aasif Mandvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aasif-mandvi/) > [“Don’t you swat away my concerns like they’re gnats around your ears.” He got to his feet as well. “Don’t you dare make light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/don-t-you-swat-away-my-concerns-like-they-re-gnats-around-your-ears/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“however, while the gnats were swarming like locusts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-lorson/however-while-the-gnats-were-swarming-like-locusts/) M.F. Lorson > [Guitar playing, as currently understood, has more to do with sports than it does to do with music. It's an Olympic challenge type of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/guitar-playing-as-currently-understood-has-more-to-do-with-sports/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Linnæus, setting out for Lapland, surveys his "comb" and "spare shirt," "leathern breeches" and "gauze cap to keep off gnats," with as much complacency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/linn-us-setting-out-for-lapland-surveys-his-comb-and-spare-shirt/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is a reference in Aristotle to a gnat produced by larvae engendered in the slime of vinegar. This must have been Drosophila.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sturtevant/there-is-a-reference-in-aristotle-to-a-gnat-produced-by-larvae/) Alfred Sturtevant > [When the sun shines let foolish gnats make sport, But creep in crannies when he hides his beams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-the-sun-shines-let-foolish-gnats-make-sport-but-creep-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [By his machines man can dive and remain under water like a shark; can fly like a hawk in the air; can see atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/by-his-machines-man-can-dive-and-remain-under-water-like-a-shark-can/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know, with cell phones and Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-think-we-have-the-attention-span-of-a-gnat-you-know-with-cell/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [Television is a triumph of equipment over people,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/television-is-a-triumph-of-equipment-over-people/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [With the single exception of Park Lane, every north-south route in London slows traffic to the pace of a wounded gnat with pleurisy struggling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gove/with-the-single-exception-of-park-lane-every-north-south-route-in/) [Michael Gove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gove/) > [Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/surely-all-god-s-people-however-serious-or-savage-great-or-small-like/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [You and I and everyone else have the attention span of gnats. And that means that saying or doing anything once simply doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/you-and-i-and-everyone-else-have-the-attention-span-of-gnats-and-that/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [I'm gonna say it one more time. We are Georgia Southern. Our colors are blue and white. We call ourselves the Bald Eagles. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erk-russell/i-m-gonna-say-it-one-more-time-we-are-georgia-southern-our-colors-are/) [Erk Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erk-russell/) > [Example is a dangerous lure: where the wasp got through the gnat sticks fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/example-is-a-dangerous-lure-where-the-wasp-got-through-the-gnat/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Women will forgive anything. Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/women-will-forgive-anything-otherwise-the-race-would-have-died-out/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. Heinlein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More Camels quotes > [In cities it is useless to look at the stars or to describe them, worship them, or seek direction from them. When lost, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/in-cities-it-is-useless-to-look-at-the-stars-or-to-describe-them/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) > [Expediency is a law of nature. The camel is a wonderful animal, but the desert made the camel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/expediency-is-a-law-of-nature-the-camel-is-a-wonderful-animal-but-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Astride a horse I am not, nor camel-like carry a load, Subjects I have none, nor follow any sultan's code; I worry not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/astride-a-horse-i-am-not-nor-camel-like-carry-a-load-subjects-i-have/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [Rich folks may ride on camels, but it ain't so easy for 'em to see out of a needle's eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/rich-folks-may-ride-on-camels-but-it-ain-t-so-easy-for-em-to-see-out/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Death is a black camel, which kneels at the gates of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdelkader-el-djezairi/death-is-a-black-camel-which-kneels-at-the-gates-of-all/) [Abdelkader El Djezairi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdelkader-el-djezairi/) > [Camels are snobbish and sheep, unintelligent; water buffaloes, neurasthenic-- even murderous. Reindeer seem over-serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/camels-are-snobbish-and-sheep-unintelligent-water-buffaloes/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [My heart has become capable of every form: It is a pasture for gazelles And a monastery for Christian monks, And the pilgrim's Ka'ba,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-arabi/my-heart-has-become-capable-of-every-form-it-is-a-pasture-for/) [Ibn Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-arabi/) > [“I want to spit back at a camel and ask him what he's so sour about. Maybe camels are the real 'Old Ones' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-want-to-spit-back-at-a-camel-and-ask-him-what-he-s-so-sour-about/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [It's the camel's nose in the tent. Look at Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Idi Amin--every one of these monsters, on seizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-heston/it-s-the-camel-s-nose-in-the-tent-look-at-stalin-mussolini-hitler-mao/) [Charlton Heston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-heston/) > [You'd think that would have been forgotten long ago. But no, no sooner has a little grass grown over it than some clumsy camel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/you-d-think-that-would-have-been-forgotten-long-ago-but-no-no-sooner/) [Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/) > [Don't you think it's strange that life, described as so rich and full, a camel-trail of adventure, should shrink to this coin-sized world? A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/don-t-you-think-it-s-strange-that-life-described-as-so-rich-and-full/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Sybil's female forebears had valiantly backed up their husbands as distant embassies were besieged, had given birth on a camel or in the shade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/sybil-s-female-forebears-had-valiantly-backed-up-their-husbands-as/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Our camels plodded along. Katrina tried to kiss, or possibly spit on Hindenburg, and Hindenburg farted in response. I found this a depressing commentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/our-camels-plodded-along-katrina-tried-to-kiss-or-possibly-spit-on/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [On horseback you feel as if you're moving in time to classical music; a camel seems to progress to the beat of a drum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-moers/on-horseback-you-feel-as-if-you-re-moving-in-time-to-classical-music/) [Walter Moers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-moers/) > [He spent more time on the road to Damascus than a Syrian camel driver. And we thought nobody could fill John Kerry's flip-flops! ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/he-spent-more-time-on-the-road-to-damascus-than-a-syrian-camel-driver/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) [Browse all 187 Camels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camels/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Straining at gnats and swallowing camels is a required course in law schools.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert A. 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