"Even a stopped clock is right twice a day"
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The quote "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day", credited to Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, is a metaphorical expression that carries a rich and multi-layered significance. On the surface area, it highlights a basic fact: a damaged or stopped clock will show the correct time two times in a 24-hour duration. However, underneath this actual analysis lies a deeper philosophical insight about reality, human fallibility, and the nature of being best.
At its core, the expression recommends that even those who are often incorrect or misdirected can, by large opportunity, come across correctness. It relates to the more comprehensive idea that everyone, no matter their normal dependability or accuracy, can have moments of truth or insight. This can be reassuring, insofar as it indicates that all of us have the possible to be right, even if just periodically or by accident.
Additionally, this metaphor acts as a care versus underestimating the opinions or point of views of others, even if they appear misdirected the majority of the time. A "stopped clock" may be dismissed as worthless, yet it demonstrates that neglect for a different perspective can result in missing out on valuable facts. This interpretation motivates open-mindedness and gratitude for diverse viewpoints, knowing that when lining up correctly with truth, even not likely sources might use knowledge.
Additionally, the quote can be considered as a commentary on the persistence of reality. Despite the flaws or failures of people, reality remains consistent and independent of human errors. A stopped clock may not work, but time progresses unchanged, unaffected by the clock's shortage, much like fact exists despite one's ability to properly perceive it.
Lastly, it may serve as a humbling suggestion of human constraints. Acknowledging that even something fundamentally broken can still be right at times can trigger self-questioning about our own infallibility and the necessity for humbleness in our beliefs and judgments. Hence, Ebner-Eschenbach's quote welcomes us to reflect on the nuanced nature of fact and the intrinsic potential for accuracy in not likely locations.
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