--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather be ignorant than…" description: "\"I would rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils.\" — Aeschylus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png" --- # I would rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils. ![“I would rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils.” quote by Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png) > “I would rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils.” [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance of evil is preferred to the burden of knowing its full extent. **In simple terms:** Better not to know all the details of evil. Key Takeaway Consider limiting exposure to harmful knowledge. Themes ignorance evil knowledge Mood cautious thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - media consumption - political awareness - personal safety - education choices Key Concepts ethical psychological moral Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to stay ignorant in a connected world? - What are the costs of avoiding knowledge? A Different Perspective Ignorance can foster complacency and prevent necessary action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evils/) [Ignorant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorant/) [Ignorant Knowledgeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorant-knowledgeable-828878/) [Knowledgeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledgeable/) [Knowledgeable Evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledgeable-evils-828879/) ## Related quotes > [My friends, whoever has had experience of evils knows how whenever a flood of ills comes upon mortals, a man fears everything; but whenever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/my-friends-whoever-has-had-experience-of-evils-knows-how-whenever-a/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The evils of mortals are manifold; nowhere is trouble of the same wing seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-evils-of-mortals-are-manifold-nowhere-is-trouble-of-the-same-wing/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The age was still dark and reeked of the havoc and misfortunes of the Goths who had put all good literature to destruction. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/the-age-was-still-dark-and-reeked-of-the-havoc-and-misfortunes-of-the/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [I created my foundation as a result of that and my website, and I try to shed some light on some very topical issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-created-my-foundation-as-a-result-of-that-and-my-website-and-i-try/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Engineering is not merely knowing and being knowledgeable, like a walking encyclopedia; engineering is not merely analysis; engineering is not merely the possession of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/engineering-is-not-merely-knowing-and-being-knowledgeable-like-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always going to get more of a charge playing Chicago than I will Duluth or some place like that. Just because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cameron/i-m-always-going-to-get-more-of-a-charge-playing-chicago-than-i-will/) [Matt Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cameron/) > [Many years ago, when I was once saying sadly to Max it was a pity I couldn't have taken up archaeology when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/many-years-ago-when-i-was-once-saying-sadly-to-max-it-was-a-pity-i/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [I don't see a future where we're all taught by robots. The real life, physical experience of being in a classroom and having conversations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-don-t-see-a-future-where-we-re-all-taught-by-robots-the-real-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The most knowledgeable person is not necessarily the person who runs the government, nor the church, nor the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-most-knowledgeable-person-is-not-necessarily-the-person-who-runs/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Your processes are amazingly fast, yet flexible, and the people at Screaming Circuits, from finance to the factory floor, are all knowledgeable and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-friedman/your-processes-are-amazingly-fast-yet-flexible-and-the-people-at/) [Jonathan Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-friedman/) > [Parents are always more knowledgeable than their children, and children are always smarter than their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/parents-are-always-more-knowledgeable-than-their-children-and/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [The creative genius may be at once naive and knowledgeable, being at home equally with primitive symbolism and rigorous logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-x-barron/the-creative-genius-may-be-at-once-naive-and-knowledgeable-being-at/) [Frank X. Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-x-barron/) > [Unless they can pass the same test that immigrants must pass to become citizens, people shouldnt be allowed to vote. The idea that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/unless-they-can-pass-the-same-test-that-immigrants-must-pass-to/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [A good book can teach you about the world and about yourself. You learn more than how to read better; you also learn more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/a-good-book-can-teach-you-about-the-world-and-about-yourself-you/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [ There was another reason \[she\] took her books whenever they went away. They were her home when she was somewhere strange. They were familiar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/there-was-another-reason-she-took-her-books-whenever-they-went-away/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) ## More by Aeschylus > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [May dawn, as the proverb goes, bring happy tidings coming from her mother night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/may-dawn-as-the-proverb-goes-bring-happy-tidings-coming-from-her/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [In visions of the night, like dropping rain, Descend the many memories of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/in-visions-of-the-night-like-dropping-rain-descend-the-many-memories/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The cure is in the house, not brought by other hands from distant places, but by its own, in agony and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-cure-is-in-the-house-not-brought-by-other-hands-from-distant/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The tongue of slander is too prompt with wanton malice to wound the stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-tongue-of-slander-is-too-prompt-with-wanton-malice-to-wound-the/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The holy heaven yearns to wound the earth, and yearning layeth hold on the earth to join in wedlock; the rain, fallen from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-holy-heaven-yearns-to-wound-the-earth-and-yearning-layeth-hold-on/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [God loves to help him who strives to help himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/god-loves-to-help-him-who-strives-to-help-himself/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Good fortune is a god among men, and more than a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/good-fortune-is-a-god-among-men-and-more-than-a-god/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Zeus, first cause, prime mover; for what thing without Zeus is done among mortals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/zeus-first-cause-prime-mover-for-what-thing-without-zeus-is-done/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [God planteth in mortal men the cause of sin whensoever he wills utterly to destroy a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/god-planteth-in-mortal-men-the-cause-of-sin-whensoever-he-wills/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Human prosperity never rests but always craves more, till blown up with pride it totters and falls. From the opulent mansions pointed at by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/human-prosperity-never-rests-but-always-craves-more-till-blown-up/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [To be free from evil thoughts is God's best gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/to-be-free-from-evil-thoughts-is-god-s-best-gift/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Hungry wailing standeth not aloof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hungry-wailing-standeth-not-aloof/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“If libations were proper to pour above the slain, this man deserved, more than deserved, such sacrament. He filled our cup with evil things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/if-libations-were-proper-to-pour-above-the-slain-this-man-deserved/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/for-there-is-no-defense-for-a-man-who-in-the-excess-of-his-wealth-has/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) [Explore all 382 Aeschylus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) ## More Evils quotes > [The so-called evils are evils only in relation to a certain thing, and that which is evil in relation to a certain existing thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-so-called-evils-are-evils-only-in-relation-to-a-certain-thing-and/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [In the history of man it has been very generally the case that when evils have grown insufferable they have touched the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/in-the-history-of-man-it-has-been-very-generally-the-case-that-when/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Imaginary evils are incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/imaginary-evils-are-incurable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [There are evils that have the ability to survive identification and go on for ever... money, for instance, or war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-are-evils-that-have-the-ability-to-survive-identification-and/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Of your philosophy you makeno use If you give place to accidental evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/of-your-philosophy-you-makeno-use-if-you-give-place-to-accidental/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-worst-evils-which-mankind-has-ever-had-to-endure-were-inflicted/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“So then, according to Jesus, the ‘evils’ which we think, say and do are not due primarily to our environment, nor are they bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/so-then-according-to-jesus-the-evils-which-we-think-say-and-do-are/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“Hope is the worst of evils because it protracts torment.” “Your”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/hope-is-the-worst-of-evils-because-it-protracts-torment-your/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [The only important property of evils of the past is that they not be repeated in the future, in any way, shape, or form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-only-important-property-of-evils-of-the-past-is-that-they-not-be/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [To repay evils with kindness is the religion I was taught to practise, and this will forever be my rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/to-repay-evils-with-kindness-is-the-religion-i-was-taught-to-practise/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [“The wicked know that if the ill they do be of sufficient horror that men will not speak against it. That men have just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-wicked-know-that-if-the-ill-they-do-be-of-sufficient-horror-that/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [They who talk much of destiny, their birth-star, etc., are in a lower dangerous plane, and invite the evils they fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/they-who-talk-much-of-destiny-their-birth-star-etc-are-in-a-lower/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Trump is literally the epitome of evil, all the evils of this country - be it racism, capitalism, sexism, homophobia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/trump-is-literally-the-epitome-of-evil-all-the-evils-of-this-country/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [“If we want truth and justice to rule our global village, there must be no hypocrisy. If there is no truth, then there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/if-we-want-truth-and-justice-to-rule-our-global-village-there-must-be/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) [Browse all 300 Evils quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evils/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aeschylus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledgeable-of-evils/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evils" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledgeable-of-evils/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/166/aeschylus-749_evils_i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledg_858692.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would rather be ignorant than knowledgeable of evils.” — Aeschylus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aeschylus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would rather be ignorant than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledgeable-of-evils/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/i-would-rather-be-ignorant-than-knowledgeable-of-evils/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```