In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

The saying draws a sharp distinction between externals and essentials. “Style” refers to manners, fashion, rhetoric, or the changing conventions of public life—areas where flexibility and tact can help one communicate effectively and live peaceably with others. “Principle,” by contrast, names core ethical or civic commitments that should not be traded away for convenience or popularity. The image of “swimming with the current” versus “standing like a rock” frames integrity as steadfastness amid pressure, while still allowing pragmatic adaptation in presentation. Its enduring appeal lies in offering a rule for navigating compromise without surrendering one’s moral center.