‘One word or less’

Julius Marmur had a reputation for being a bit brusque. When I joined the biochemistry department at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the renowned DNA biochemist became my senior colleague. I recall seeing him in his office, puffing on cigars.

During a long-forgotten hallway or conference room encounter, Julius asked me a question. Caught off guard, I hesitated. He said to me, "Steinman, just answer my question in one word or less."

Over the years, that phrase, “one word or less," stuck with me. For a long time, I thought of it as a joke: Less than one word is no words, and you can't answer a question without words. However, I've recently come to see it through a Marmur-ian lens: If you can't answer succinctly, then don't bother to reply.

Yes, communication is great. But sometimes, it's prudent to say less than one word and wait until you're on track and able to give a meaningful answer.