The most difficult thing in the world is to know how to do a thing and to watch somebody else do it wrong, without comment.

White’s aphorism captures a familiar moral and social dilemma: the tension between competence and restraint. Knowing the “right” way to do something creates an almost physical urge to correct errors, yet social tact, humility, and respect for others’ autonomy often require silence. The quote points to how difficult it is to balance helpfulness against meddling, and expertise against patience. It also hints at the limits of knowledge as a social good—being right is not the same as being entitled to intervene. In this sense, the line is less about technique than about self-control and empathy in human relationships.