Jorge Luis Borges in conversation with Rita Guibert, 1968 (Jorge Luis Borges: Conversations, pps. 51-52.)

It’s always the same: if someone is against convention his only way of attacking it is by creating another convention, so that when most people are clean-shaven he grows a beard, and when beards are worn he shaves his off. He’s merely changing from one convention to another.

— Jorge Luis Borges on Beard

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It’s always the same: if someone is against convention his only way of attacking it is by creating another convention, so that when most people are clean-shaven he grows a beard, and when beards are worn he shaves his off. He’s merely changing from one convention to another." in the context of "Jorge Luis Borges in conversation with Rita Guibert, 1968 (Jorge Luis Borges: Conversations, pps. 51-52.)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Quote Image
Source: Wikiquote: "Beard" (Sourced) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Jorge Luis Borges

About Jorge Luis Borges

Jorge Luis Borges (24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986) was an Argentine writer who is considered one of the foremost literary figures of the 20th century. Most famous in the English speaking world for his short stories and fictive essays, Borges was also a poet, critic, translator and man of letters.