--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And trying to break it down this way, to…" description: "\"And trying to break it down this way, to minor and major offenses, maybes and what-ifs, was like arguing over the origin of cracks in a broken egg. It ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sarah-dessen-110_arguing_and-trying-to-break-it-down-this-way-to_808543.jpg" --- # And trying to break it down this way, to minor and major… ![“And trying to break it down this way, to minor and major offenses, maybes and what-ifs, was like arguing over the origin of cracks in a broken egg. It was done. How it happened didn't matter anymore.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sarah-dessen-110_arguing_and-trying-to-break-it-down-this-way-to_808543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sarah-dessen-110_arguing_and-trying-to-break-it-down-this-way-to_808543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/sarah-dessen-110_arguing_and-trying-to-break-it-down-this-way-to_808543.jpg) > “And trying to break it down this way, to minor and major offenses, maybes and what-ifs, was like arguing over the origin of cracks in a broken egg. It was done. How it happened didn't matter anymore.” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breaking down problems into minor details can distract from the core issue, rendering the cause irrelevant once the outcome is fixed. **In simple terms:** Focusing on details may miss the bigger picture. Key Takeaway Prioritize understanding the main cause over trivial distinctions. Themes analysis detail orientation problem solving Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice reflective When to use this quote - project management - conflict resolution - personal decision making - team meetings Key Concepts critical thinking cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What core issue are you overlooking? - How can you simplify complex problems? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can stall progress and create paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Still, he stats, thrashing his head around like he's arguing. His squeals sound contrary even to Galen's untrained ears. The poor creature doesn't realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/still-he-stats-thrashing-his-head-around-like-he-s-arguing-his/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“Representing him. It’s a thing we lawyers do.” He leaned back on his elbows. “It’s super fun if you like arguing with people.” “But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-abbott/representing-him-it-s-a-thing-we-lawyers-do-he-leaned-back-on-his/) [Kristi Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-abbott/) > [Getting stressed and struggling to change the outcome of any past event is like arguing with an echo to make it see your point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/getting-stressed-and-struggling-to-change-the-outcome-of-any-past/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [No one can argue any longer about the rights of women. It's like arguing about earthquakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/no-one-can-argue-any-longer-about-the-rights-of-women-it-s-like/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/it-has-been-said-that-arguing-against-globalization-is-like-arguing/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [I don't like mimicking people. I don't like repeating talking points. I don't like arguing with people just to argue. I like actually coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-cupp/i-don-t-like-mimicking-people-i-don-t-like-repeating-talking-points-i/) [S.E. Cupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-cupp/) > [Anyways, trying to express yourself to the press is often like arguing with a hysterical person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-koenig/anyways-trying-to-express-yourself-to-the-press-is-often-like-arguing/) [Ezra Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-koenig/) > [When the insane people start the chatter, there's no way to win that fight. It's literally like arguing with someone who is speaking another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-konner/when-the-insane-people-start-the-chatter-there-s-no-way-to-win-that/) [Jennifer Konner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-konner/) > [“...screaming about your rights as an American while rockin' the confederate flag is like arguing against gay marriage with a dick in your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-crowder/screaming-about-your-rights-as-an-american-while-rockin-the/) [Trae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-crowder/) > [For those who say that the war on drugs and the system of mass incarceration really isn't about race, I say there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/for-those-who-say-that-the-war-on-drugs-and-the-system-of-mass/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [Even to me, as I was trying to tell the government what had happened, it just didn't seem to matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-hearst/even-to-me-as-i-was-trying-to-tell-the-government-what-had-happened/) [Patty Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-hearst/) > [“It didn’t matter what he’d said or done in life, in death he was innocent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callie-hunter/it-didn-t-matter-what-he-d-said-or-done-in-life-in-death-he-was/) [Callie Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callie-hunter/) > [“Niles actually didn't care about me. Once he had me, he thought he had me and that was it. The world revolved around him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/niles-actually-didn-t-care-about-me-once-he-had-me-he-thought-he-had/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [If there was a wrong note, it didn't matter as long as it was rocking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-young/if-there-was-a-wrong-note-it-didn-t-matter-as-long-as-it-was-rocking/) [Malcolm Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-young/) > [Imagine what you'd do if it absolutely didn't matter what people thought of you. Got it? Good. Never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/imagine-what-you-d-do-if-it-absolutely-didn-t-matter-what-people/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And trying to break it down this way, to minor and major offenses, maybes and what-ifs, was like arguing over the origin of cracks in a broken egg. It was done. 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