A Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To be great, you must be misunderstood

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote Topics

Great Misunderstood Must

Quote Author

Ralph Waldo Emerson
American - Philosopher
May 25, 1803 - April 27, 1882

Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

To be misunderstood even by those whom one loves is the cross and bitterness of life. It is the secret of that sad and melancholy smile on the lips of great men which so few understand; it is the cruelest trial reserved for self-devotion; it is what must have oftenest wrung the heart of the Son of man; and if God could suffer, it would be the wound we should be forever inflicting upon Him. He also - He above all - is the great misunderstood, the least comprehended.

Henri Frederic Amiel

Since I've become a central banker, I've learned to mumble with great incoherence. If I seem unduly clear to you, you must have misunderstood what I said.

Alan Greenspan

I don't remember you being this reasonable before, " Lissa said. "It's because everyone has different definitions of 'reasonable. ' Mine's just misunderstood, that's all. " Christian's voice was lofty. "I think you must be misunderstood a lot, " she laughed. His eyes held hers, and the smile on his face transformed into something warmer and softer. "Well, I hope this isn't misunderstood. Otherwise, I might get punched. " Leaning over, he brought his lips to hers. Lissa responded with no hesitation or thought whatsoever, losing herself in the sweetness of the kiss.

Richelle Mead

I'm a Christian. But Muslims are misunderstood. Intentionally misunderstood. We should all be more like them.

Bill Cosby

I'm so misunderstood that people misunderstand me even when I tell them I'm misunderstood.

Soren Kierkegaard

Most of the things I do are misunderstood. Hey, after all, being misunderstood is the fate of all true geniuses, is it not?

Howard Stern

It means that if they misunderstood Comfort and Joy, they misunderstood my other films.

Bill Forsyth

It's okay to be misunderstood - as long as you're not misunderstood by your consumers.

Mark Pincus

Scientology is probably one of the most misunderstood things, and it's sad that it's so misunderstood.

Stanley Clarke

To be great is to be misunderstood.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Entrepreneurs must be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.

Jeff Bezos

I'm willing to be misunderstood. I've never had a problem being misunderstood by a portion of people on any particular issue if it makes for that much more of a special experience for those who understand.

RJD2

An order that can be misunderstood, will be misunderstood.

Napoleon Bonaparte

When most of the greatest individuals in history were misunderstood and you've spent so much of your own adult life misunderstood, you can't help but believe that the majority of people know very little worth knowing.