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Friend Quote by Terry Pratchett

“Bill Door had carefully ensured a local reputation as the worst bowman in the entire history of toxophily; it had never occurred to anyone that putting arrows through the hats of bystanders behind him must logically take a lot more skill than merely sending them through a quite large target a mere…” quote by Terry Pratchett
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““Bill Door had carefully ensured a local reputation as the worst bowman in the entire history of toxophily; it had never occurred to anyone that putting arrows through the hats of bystanders behind him must logically take a lot more skill than merely sending them through a quite large target a mere fifty yards away. It was amazing how many friends you could make by being bad at things, provided you were bad enough to be funny.””

Terry Pratchett

About This Quote

Source Novel: Discworld series, 1990s

Skill in a craft can be humorously subverted, turning incompetence into social advantage.

In simple terms: Being bad at something can be funny and make friends.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humor in failure.

Themes

humor social dynamics skill failure friendship

Mood

playful lighthearted reflective

Type

anecdotal observational

When to use this quote

  • team building
  • stand‑up comedy
  • learning environments
  • online communities

Key Concepts

self‑deprecation social capital irony

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you use self‑deprecation without undermining credibility?
  • When does humor become a barrier to improvement?
A Different Perspective

Humor may mask underlying incompetence, limiting growth.

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