Schweitzer cuts deeper than the tired notion that we should "walk the walk." He's suggesting that example isn't merely *effective*—it's the *sole mechanism* of genuine influence, which means all our arguments, exhortations, and advice are essentially window dressing. A parent who lectures a child about patience while drumming their fingers impatiently on the dinner table teaches the child only one lesson, and it isn't about virtues. What makes this radical is that it strips away our comforting belief that good intentions, persuasive words, or expertise count for anything; the only currency that trades is consistent behavior over time.