(p. 262)
“
[E]xperience has taught me that those who give their time to the absorbing claims of what is called society, not having leisure to keep up a large acquaintance with the organs of opinion, remain much more ignorant of the general state either of the public mind, or of the active and instructed part of it, than a recluse who reads the newspapers need be.
— John Stuart Mill
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "[E]xperience has taught me that those who give their time to the absorbing claims of what is called society, not having leisure to keep up a large acquaintance with the organs of opinion, remain much more ignorant of the general state either of the public mind, or of the active and instructed part of it, than a recluse who reads the newspapers need be." in the context of "(p. 262)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "John Stuart Mill" (Quotes, Autobiography (1873): Full text online Note: page links below are to the 1873 edition @archive.org from the Library of Congress, unless otherwise noted., Ch. 7: General View of the Remainder of My Life.)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.
About John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.
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