Business Quote by Tom Wolfe
““Sir Gerald Moore: I was at dinner last evening, and halfway through the pudding, this four-year-old child came alone, dragging a little toy cart. And on the cart was a fresh turd. Her own, I suppose. The parents just shook their heads and smiled. I've made a big investment in you, Peter. Time and money, and it's not working. Now, I could just shake my head and smile. But in my house, when a turd appears, we throw it out. We dispose of it. We flush it away. We don't put it on the table and call it caviar.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 1975
A metaphor about rejecting low-quality work and not treating it as something valuable; emphasizes standards and decisive removal of bad content.
In simple terms: Don't accept poor work as if it were precious.
Key Takeaway
Eliminate subpar results promptly.
Themes
quality
standards
integrity
Mood
critical
determined
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- publishing
- creative projects
- team management
- product development
Key Concepts
editorial judgment
excellence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide what to discard?
- What criteria define “caviar” in your work?
A Different Perspective
May overlook potential value in unconventional ideas.
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![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)