Inspirational Quotes
Those who write clearly have readers, those who write obscurely have commentators.
"Those who write clearly have readers, those who write obscurely have commentators."— Abraham Lincoln
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Meaning of this quote
Clear prose lets readers engage directly with an argument, while obscurity creates a need for interpretation. The joke favours accessibility without proving that all difficult writing is empty.
Key takeaway:
Make the reader's understanding more important than an impression of complexity.
Origin of the quote
Circulates under Lincoln's name, but related references credit Camus; an original source settling the exact sentence was not established.
Who actually said this?
Commonly attributedThe scholarly review calls it an imprecise Camus rendering. That is reason to question the Lincoln credit, but not enough to certify the alternative wording or origin.
