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Don’t Argue With Donkeys

Never argue with an idiot; they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience

By Paolo CuomoPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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Don’t Argue With Donkeys
Photo by Ansgar Scheffold on Unsplash

A version of the below was shared with me last week. I can’t credit the primordial creator as I have no idea who originally wrote it. Let me know if it is you, though I presume its origins are lost somewhere in the depth of Web 2.0

DON’T ARGUE WITH DONKEYS

The Donkey said to the Tiger: “The Grass is Blue”.

The Tiger replied: “No, the Grass is Green.”

The discussion heated up, almost reaching the point where the Tiger was going to kill the Donkey. The two decided to get some arbitration and went to see the Lion, the King of the Jungle.

The Donkey said: “Your Highness, is it true that the Grass is Blue?”.

The Lion replied: “It is true. The Grass is Blue.

The Donkey then said: “The Tiger disagrees with me and annoys me. Will you please punish him?

The King declared that the Tiger will be punished with 5 years of silence.

The Donkey jumped cheerfully and went on his way.

The Tiger was hurt by his punishment, and asked the Lion: “Your Majesty, why have you punished me? After all, the Grass is Green.

The Lion replied: “Yes, true. The Grass is Green.

The Tiger asked: “So, why are you punishing me?”.

The Lion replied: “Because this has nothing to do with the question of whether the Grass is Blue or Green. The punishment is because it is not possible for a brave and intelligent creature like you to waste time arguing with a Donkey and, on top of that, you then come and bother me with this stupid question.

The worst waste of time is arguing with the fool and fanatic who does not care about truth or reality, but only the victory of his beliefs and illusions. There are people who, no matter how much evidence we present to them, are not in the capacity to understand. Then there are others who are blinded by ego, hatred and resentment, and all they want is to be right, even if they are not.

In other words, don’t argue with donkeys.

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I'd not heard the expression before so I did some research.

The saying "don't argue with donkeys" is often used to describe a situation in which it is not worth engaging in a debate or argument with someone who is stubborn or unwilling to listen to reason. It suggests that such an argument will be unproductive and will not lead to a resolution, as the other person is not open to changing their mind or considering other viewpoints.

The saying is often used as a piece of advice, telling someone to avoid getting drawn into an argument with someone who is inflexible and unwilling to consider other perspectives. It suggests that it is better to walk away from such an argument, as it is likely to be frustrating and fruitless.

The saying is similar to other sayings that describe the challenges of trying to change someone's habits or beliefs, such as "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." These sayings are often used to advise people to be mindful of the limitations of others and to recognize when it is not worth trying to persuade someone to change their ways.

Overall, the saying "don't argue with donkeys" is a reminder to be mindful of the importance of being open to other viewpoints and to recognize when it is not worth engaging in an unproductive argument. It suggests that it is better to walk away from such an argument and to focus on finding more productive ways to resolve conflicts or differences of opinion.

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About the Creator

Paolo Cuomo

I right to share my insights and what I have learnt from others. This includes practical productivity ideas, especially around working from home for those used to the office.

I also cover technology in particular quantum computing!

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