Perhaps the prevalence of pedantry may be largely accounted for by the common error of thinking that, because useful knowledge should be remembered, any kind of knowledge that is at all worth learning should be remembered too.

Summary

This quote suggests that the tendency towards pedantry, or an excessive focus on minor details and rules, can be partly explained by the mistaken belief that all knowledge deemed worthy of learning should be retained in memory. It implies that people often confuse the importance of useful knowledge with the necessity of remembering every piece of information, leading to an inflated value being placed on trivial details and regulations.

Topics