Quotation by

Gertrude Stein

It is funny that men who are supposed to be scientific cannot get themselves to realise the basic principle of physics, that action and reaction are equal and opposite, that when you persecute people you always rouse them to be strong and stronger.
Men

Advertisement

Understanding this quote AI Analysis

Gertrude Stein is pointing out the irony that men who claim to be logical and scientific fail to understand a simple law of physics: every action causes an equal and opposite reaction. She means that when people are oppressed or attacked, instead of being weakened, they often become more determined and resilient.

More by this author

All quotes by Gertrude Stein →

More quotes about Men

See all →
I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive or innocent, who has th…
Men always want to be a woman's first love - women like to be a man's last romance.

Advertisement

Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?
Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men.
I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won't presume to probe into the faults of others.