In life, each of us must sometimes play the fool.
—Yiddish Proverb
Folly is perennial and yet the human race has survived.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
The person who writes for fools is always sure of a large audience.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
There are more fools than knaves in the world, else the knaves would not have enough to live upon.
—Samuel Butler
There are two fools in this world. One is the millionaire who thinks that by hoarding money he can somehow accumulate real power, and the other is the penniless reformer who thinks that if only he can take the money from one class and give it to another, all the world’s ills will be cured.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
—Unknown
Lord, what fools these mortals be.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
Don’t approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back, or a fool from any side.
—Yiddish Proverb
The fool is not the man who merely does foolish things. The fool is the man who does not know enough to cash in on his foolishness.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
You ask whether I have ever been in love: fool as I am, I am not such a fool as that. But if one is only to talk from first-hand experience, conversation would be a very poor business. But though I have no personal experience of the things they call love, I have what is better—the experience of Sappho, of Euripides, of Catallus, of Shakespeare, of Spenser, of Austen, of Bronte, of anyone else I have read.
—C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) Irish-British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
Build a system that even a fool can use, and only a fool will want to use it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
A fool may be known by six things: anger, without cause; speech, without profit; change, without progress; inquiry without object; putting trust in a stranger, and mistaking foes for friends.
—Arabic Proverb
Flattery is never so agreeable as to our blind side; commend a fool for his wit, or a knave for his honesty, and they will receive you into their bosoms.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
Nature makes only dumb animals. We owe the fools to society.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
The fool within himself is the object of pity, until he is flattered.
—Richard Steele (1672–1729) Irish Writer, Politician
A fellow who is always declaring that he’s no fool, usually has his suspicions.
—Wilson Mizner (1876–1933) American Dramatist
There are no foolish questions, and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions.
—Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865–1923) German-born American Mathematician, Engineer
The fool needs company, the wise solitude.
—Friedrich Ruckert (1788–1866) German Poet, Translator
The world is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet everyone has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the affairs of his neighbor.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Any fool can criticize, complain, and condemn—and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom.
—Elizabeth Gaskell (1810–65) English Novelist, Short-Story Writer
A spoon does not know the taste of soup, nor a learned fool the taste of wisdom.
—Welsh Proverb
A fool often fails because he thinks what is difficult is easy.
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) British Literary Critic, Writer
The folly of all follies is to be love sick for a shadow.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Who loves not wine, woman and song, remains a fool his whole life long.
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his way.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
He who knows he who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool, shun him; He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child, teach him. He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep, wake him. He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise, follow him.
—Persian Proverb
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