--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Experience (has) long taught me the…" description: "\"Experience (has) long taught me the reasonableness of mutual sacrifices of opinion among those who are to act together for any common object, and the e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/thomas-jefferson-43_common_experience-has-long-taught-me-the-reason_1404726.jpg" --- # Experience (has) long taught me the reasonableness of… ![“Experience (has) long taught me the reasonableness of mutual sacrifices of opinion among those who are to act together for any common object, and the expediency of doing what good we can when we cannot do all we would wish” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/thomas-jefferson-43_common_experience-has-long-taught-me-the-reason_1404726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/thomas-jefferson-43_common_experience-has-long-taught-me-the-reason_1404726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/thomas-jefferson-43_common_experience-has-long-taught-me-the-reason_1404726.jpg) > “Experience (has) long taught me the reasonableness of mutual sacrifices of opinion among those who are to act together for any common object, and the expediency of doing what good we can when we cannot do all we would wish” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mutual compromise is essential when collaborating toward a shared goal, and we should act for the common good even if we cannot achieve all desires. **In simple terms:** Compromise and doing good together. Key Takeaway Seek common ground, act for shared benefit. Themes collaboration compromise common good politics Mood reflective pragmatic Type philosophical political When to use this quote - team projects - policy making - community initiatives - joint ventures - negotiations Key Concepts social contract pragmatism collective action Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance personal convictions with group needs? - What limits does compromise impose on innovation? A Different Perspective Ideal compromise may be hard to reach, leading to suboptimal outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Expediency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expediency/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-taught-4932729/) [Mutual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual/) [Mutual Sacrifices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual-sacrifices-4932726/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Public opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) [Reasonableness Mutual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonableness-mutual-4932728/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sacrifices Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifices-opinion-1255030/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Taught Reasonableness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-reasonableness-4932727/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [When under the pretext of fraternity, the legal code imposes mutual sacrifices on the citizens, human nature is not thereby abrogated. Everyone will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/when-under-the-pretext-of-fraternity-the-legal-code-imposes-mutual/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/your-representative-owes-you-not-his-industry-only-but-his-judgment/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [We are sensible of the duty and expediency of submitting our opinions to the will of the majority, and can wait with patience till…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-are-sensible-of-the-duty-and-expediency-of-submitting-our-opinions/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“To rule is to kneel before expediency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/to-rule-is-to-kneel-before-expediency/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it Confucius All truth is safe and nothing else is safe, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/those-who-know-the-truth-are-not-equal-to-those-who-love-it-confucius/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The great difference between the real leader and the pretender is that the one sees into the future, while the other regards only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-difference-between-the-real-leader-and-the-pretender-is/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Nothing but the right can ever be expedient, since that can never be true expediency which would sacrifice a great good to a less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/nothing-but-the-right-can-ever-be-expedient-since-that-can-never-be/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [moral, adj. Conforming to a local and mutable standard of right. Having the quality of general expediency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/moral-adj-conforming-to-a-local-and-mutable-standard-of-right-having/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [The lawyer's truth is not Truth, but consistency or a consistent expediency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lawyer-s-truth-is-not-truth-but-consistency-or-a-consistent/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is for ordinary minds, not for psychoanalysts, that our rules of evidence are framed. They have their source very often in considerations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-cardozo/it-is-for-ordinary-minds-not-for-psychoanalysts-that-our-rules-of/) [Benjamin Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-cardozo/) > [I had to learn that there is more to the human being than material comfort, more than success, more even than national spirit or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-suyin/i-had-to-learn-that-there-is-more-to-the-human-being-than-material/) [Han Suyin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-suyin/) > [Those who are successfully to lead their fellow-men, should have once possessed the nobler feelings. We have all known individuals whose magnanimity was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/those-who-are-successfully-to-lead-their-fellow-men-should-have-once/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [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/) > [A certain alloy of expediency improves the gold of morality and makes it wear all the longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-marquis/a-certain-alloy-of-expediency-improves-the-gold-of-morality-and-makes/) [Don Marquis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-marquis/) > [Christian obligation cannot be made to accord with a law of expediency. The Christian's maxims are, Do right because you are bound to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-landey-patton/christian-obligation-cannot-be-made-to-accord-with-a-law-of/) [Francis Landey Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-landey-patton/) ## More by Thomas Jefferson > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [ \[States and the Federal government are\] coordinate departments of one simple and integral whole... The one is the domestic, the other the foreign branch… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/states-and-the-federal-government-are-coordinate-departments-of-one/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Perceiving the order of nature to be that individual happiness shall be inseparable from the practice of virtue, I am willing to hope it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/perceiving-the-order-of-nature-to-be-that-individual-happiness-shall/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Though you cannot see, when you take one step, what will be the next, yet follow truth, justice, and plain dealing, and never fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/though-you-cannot-see-when-you-take-one-step-what-will-be-the-next/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. 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But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. 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