The policemen agreed they were living with a most peculiar fellow. One moment he was reading classical literature in the original French and quoting Tennyson, and the next he would be discussing the best way to blow up a train.

Ben Macintyre
About This Quote

In the above quote from Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift satirizes the impracticality of Lord Lilliputian. Swift argues that the Lilliputians could not appreciate the value of things like classical literature and high art because they were too busy fighting wars and destroying their enemies. It is a common misconception that all people who spend a lot of time studying and practicing a skill are called impractical. As this quote illustrates, there is no such thing as “practical”; only those who think they must be practical.

Source: Agent Zigzag: A True Story Of Nazi Espionage, Love, And Betrayal

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