There are two kinds of fools. One says, “This is old, therefore it is good”. The other says, “This is new, therefore it is better”.
—William Ralph Inge (1860–1954) English Anglican Clergyman, Priest, Mystic
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
Colleges don’t make fools, they only develop them.
—George Horace Lorimer (1867–1937) American Editor, Publisher, Philanthropist
A fool and his money are soon parted. The rest of us wait for tax time.
—Common Proverb
No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions.
—Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865–1923) German-born American Mathematician, Engineer
If you wish to avoid seeing a fool you must first break your mirror.
—Francois Rabelais (1494–1553) French Humanist, Satirist
To be a man’s own fool is bad enough; but the vain man is everybody’s.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.
—Chinese Proverb
In all companies there are more fools than wise men, and the greater part always gets the better of the wiser.
—Francois Rabelais (1494–1553) French Humanist, Satirist
Never argue with a stupid person. First they’ll drag you down to their level, then they will beat you with experience.
—Anonymous
Those who wish to appear wise among fools among the wise seem foolish.
—Quintilian (c.35–c.100 CE) Roman Rhetorician, Literary Critic
Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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
A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge.
—Thomas Brackett Reed (1839–1902) American Politician, Lawyer
A fool at forty is a fool indeed.
—Common Proverb
Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet
The fool has set in his heart that he can get more money through the tiring of his muscle and the starvation of his brain-but he can’t.
—William D. Hoard (1836–1918) American Elected Rep
People have no right to make fools of themselves, unless they have no relations to blush for them.
—Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1796–1865) Canadian Author, Humorist, Businessperson, Judge
A fool often fails because he thinks what is difficult is easy.
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) English Literary Critic
It is the peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the faults of others and to forget his own.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Experience keeps a dear school; but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in that; for it is true, we may give advice, but we cannot give conduct.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State