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Foolishness quotes

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“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” William Shakespeare, “As You Like It” - 1623

“VOTE, n. The instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.” Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil's Dictionary” - 1911

“If one's lot is cast among fools, it is necessary to study folly.” Alexandre Dumas, “The Count of Monte Cristo” - 1845

“It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise!” Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “The Idiot” - 1874

“The first thing you learn in life is you're a fool. The last thing you learn in life is you're the same fool.” Ray Bradbury, “Dandelion Wine” - 1957

“The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.” William Shakespeare, “As You Like It” - 1623

“He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit.” William Shakespeare, “As You Like It” - 1623

“How ill white hairs become a fool and jester!” William Shakespeare, “Henry IV, Part 2” - 1600

“When the sun shines let foolish gnats make sport, but creep in crannies when he hides his beams.” William Shakespeare, “The Comedy of Errors” - 1623

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance” - 1841

“Travelling is a fool's paradise. Our first journeys discover to us the indifference of places.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance” - 1841

“Of course, a fool, what with sheer fright and fine sentiments, is always safe.” Joseph Conrad, “Heart of Darkness” - 1899

“It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool.” L. Frank Baum, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” - 1900

“Poor fool! in whose petty estimation all things are little.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “The Sorrows of Young Werther” - 1774

“The world runs on from one folly to another; and the man who, solely from regard to the opinion of others, and without any wish or necessity of his own, toils after gold, honour, or any other phantom, is no better than a fool.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “The Sorrows of Young Werther” - 1774

“The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.” Samuel Butler, “The Note-Books of Samuel Butler” - 1912

“Is it worth the name of freedom to be at liberty to play the fool, and draw shame and misery upon a man's self?” John Locke, “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” - 1689

“I didn't have any friends at school, didn't want any. I felt better being alone. I sat on a bench and watched the others play and they looked foolish to me.” Charles Bukowski, “Ham on Rye” - 1982

“I had decided against religion a couple of years back. If it were true, it made fools out of people, or it drew fools. And if it weren't true, the fools were all the more foolish.” Charles Bukowski, “Ham on Rye” - 1982

“What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites.” Thomas Jefferson, “Notes on the State of Virginia” - 1785

“Would you actually believe that you had committed your foolish acts in order to spare your son from committing them too?” Hermann Hesse, “Siddhartha” - 1922

“Take heed, I have often heard it said in a vulgar proverb, the wise may be instructed by a fool.” François Rabelais, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” - 1534

“I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays. You can't go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become an absolute public nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few fools left.” Oscar Wilde, “The Importance of Being Earnest” - 1895

“How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!” Jane Austen, “Emma” - 1815

“I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” James Joyce, “Dubliners” - 1914

Related topics

wisdom happiness freedom cleverness madness attraction mind truth fear modesty friendship narcissism pleasure hypocrisy stupidity feeling indifference philosophy weakness power

Related authors

William Shakespeare (5)
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2)
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (2)
Charles Bukowski (2)
Jane Austen (1)
Oscar Wilde (1)
James Joyce (1)
Joseph Conrad (1)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1)
L. Frank Baum (1)
Samuel Butler (1)
John Locke (1)
Ambrose Bierce (1)
Thomas Jefferson (1)
Alexandre Dumas (1)
Ray Bradbury (1)
Hermann Hesse (1)
François Rabelais (1)

Related sources

As You Like It (3)
Self-Reliance (2)
The Sorrows of Young Werther (2)
Ham on Rye (2)
The Importance of Being Earnest (1)
Henry IV, Part 2 (1)
The Comedy of Errors (1)
Heart of Darkness (1)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1)
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1)
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1)
The Devil's Dictionary (1)
Notes on the State of Virginia (1)
The Count of Monte Cristo (1)
Siddhartha (1)
Gargantua and Pantagruel (1)
Emma (1)
Dandelion Wine (1)
The Idiot (1)
Dubliners (1)