--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No maxim can be more pernicious than that…" description: "\"No maxim can be more pernicious than that which would teach us to consult the temper of the times, and to tell only so much as we imagine our contempor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/william-godwin-1978_able_no-maxim-can-be-more-pernicious-than-tha_849476.png" --- # No maxim can be more pernicious than that which would… ![“No maxim can be more pernicious than that which would teach us to consult the temper of the times, and to tell only so much as we imagine our contemporaries will be able to bear.” quote by William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/william-godwin-1978_able_no-maxim-can-be-more-pernicious-than-tha_849476.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/william-godwin-1978_able_no-maxim-can-be-more-pernicious-than-tha_849476.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a5/william-godwin-1978_able_no-maxim-can-be-more-pernicious-than-tha_849476.png) > “No maxim can be more pernicious than that which would teach us to consult the temper of the times, and to tell only so much as we imagine our contemporaries will be able to bear.” [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caution against tailoring ideas to contemporary tastes, which can limit critical thought. **In simple terms:** Don’t limit ideas to current trends. Key Takeaway Encourage timeless thinking. Themes politics philosophy critical thinking Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - media analysis - policy making - social activism Key Concepts censorship public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance relevance with depth? - When should we challenge popular opinion? A Different Perspective Risk of ignoring necessary progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Consult Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consult-temper-732808/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Maxim Pernicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maxim-pernicious-732809/) [Maxims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maxims/) [Pernicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pernicious/) [Pernicious Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pernicious-teach-732811/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Temper Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper-times-494309/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-tell-732810/) ## Related quotes > [No matter how many times I tell myself I'm done I always find myself running back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-many-times-i-tell-myself-i-m-done-i-always-find-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In the happy times, in the tell-me-again times, when I’m seven and there are no stepbrothers and it’s before the stepfathers, my mom lets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-lorraine-scheidt/in-the-happy-times-in-the-tell-me-again-times-when-i-m-seven-and/) [Erica Lorraine Scheidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-lorraine-scheidt/) > [It's not about how many times you tell someone you love them ,, its about how many times you prove that you do .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruba-roy/it-s-not-about-how-many-times-you-tell-someone-you-love-them-its/) [Ruba Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruba-roy/) > [There's only a certain amount of times you can tell somebody what they should or shouldn't be doing. 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