T. S. Eliot

In simple terms, this quote by T. S. Eliot in the context of intelligence is expressing a point of view or lesson. It highlights what the speaker considers important and why.

The wording is partly framed in the negative (what to avoid or reject), which often signals a boundary: what the speaker refuses to accept and what they stand for instead.

A useful way to apply it is to ask: “What situation in my life does this relate to right now, and what would change if I took it seriously?”