Letter 400, to John Morris, 12 January 1953
“
What puzzles me most is your criticism that he showed 'no sense of engagement'. I haven't met the expression before, and feel bound to comment on its totalitarian tang. Engagement not with the truth as the speaker apprehends it, but with the alleged opinion of the majority of listeners.
— E. M. Forster
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "What puzzles me most is your criticism that he showed 'no sense of engagement'. I haven't met the expression before, and feel bound to comment on its totalitarian tang. Engagement not with the truth as the speaker apprehends it, but with the alleged opinion of the majority of listeners." in the context of "Letter 400, to John Morris, 12 January 1953" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "E. M. Forster" (Quotes, Selected Letters (1983-1985))
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 E. M. Forster
Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 July 1970) was an English novelist, short story writer, and essayist.
About E. M. Forster
Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 July 1970) was an English novelist, short story writer, and essayist.
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