--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is a clever animal who behaves like…" description: "\"Man is a clever animal who behaves like an imbecile.\" — Albert Schweitzer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg" --- # Man is a clever animal who behaves like an imbecile. ![“Man is a clever animal who behaves like an imbecile.” quote by Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg) > “Man is a clever animal who behaves like an imbecile.” [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans are intelligent yet often act foolishly, highlighting a paradox of cleverness and folly. **In simple terms:** Cleverness can be foolish. Key Takeaway Balance intellect and humility. Themes humility intelligence folly Mood reflective humorous Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - education - leadership - decision making - self‑reflection Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - When have you acted like an imbecile? - How can cleverness be tempered? A Different Perspective Intelligence without wisdom is harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Imbecile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imbecile/) ## Related quotes > [Passion often renders the most clever man a fool, and sometimes renders the most foolish man clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-renders-the-most-clever-man-a-fool-and-sometimes/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“My dear, it couldn’t have lasted for ever … But you’re a good man. And very clever… . You will get through….”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/my-dear-it-couldn-t-have-lasted-for-ever-but-you-re-a-good-man-and/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [It takes a clever man to turn cynic and a wise man to be clever enough not to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/it-takes-a-clever-man-to-turn-cynic-and-a-wise-man-to-be-clever/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [The true use of history, whether civil or military, is not to make man clever for the next time, it is to make him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-howard/the-true-use-of-history-whether-civil-or-military-is-not-to-make-man/) [Michael Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-howard/) > [The stone age was marked by man's clever use of crude tools; the information age, to date, has been marked by man's crude use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-stone-age-was-marked-by-man-s-clever-use-of-crude-tools-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/you-can-tell-whether-a-man-is-clever-by-his-answers-you-can-tell/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/the-white-man-is-very-clever-he-came-quietly-and-peaceably-with-his/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/education-without-values-as-useful-as-it-is-seems-rather-to-make-man/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [No man should call himself clever. 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An imbecile who has only his eyes if he's a painter, or ears if he's a musician,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/what-do-you-think-an-artist-is-an-imbecile-who-has-only-his-eyes-if/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Only a f-kin imbecile would think they un-correctable, cause you're susceptible to becoming more than a spectacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/only-a-f-kin-imbecile-would-think-they-un-correctable-cause-you-re/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [You talk about your 3 I's.. I agree, because in my mind you're an Idiot, an Imbecile and an Ignoramus!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/you-talk-about-your-3-i-s-i-agree-because-in-my-mind-you-re-an-idiot/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [The mother of the imbecile is always pregnant,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincenzo-nibali/the-mother-of-the-imbecile-is-always-pregnant/) Vincenzo Nibali ## More by Albert Schweitzer > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/ethics-is-the-activity-of-man-directed-to-secure-the-inner-perfection/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Because I have confidence in the power of truth, and of the spirit, I have confidence in the future of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/because-i-have-confidence-in-the-power-of-truth-and-of-the-spirit-i/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Man's ethics must not end with man, but should extend to the universe. He must regain the consciousness of the great Chain of Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-s-ethics-must-not-end-with-man-but-should-extend-to-the-universe/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Sincerity is the foundation of the spiritual life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/sincerity-is-the-foundation-of-the-spiritual-life/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/i-am-life-that-wants-to-live-in-the-midst-of-life-that-wants-to-live/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“ Bauer 's 'Criticism of the Gospel History' is worth a good dozen Lives of Jesus, because his work, as we are only now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/bauer-s-criticism-of-the-gospel-history-is-worth-a-good-dozen-lives/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Ethics is in its unqualified form extended responsibility to everything that has life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/ethics-is-in-its-unqualified-form-extended-responsibility-to/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [The only way out of today's misery is for people to become worthy of each other's trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/the-only-way-out-of-today-s-misery-is-for-people-to-become-worthy-of/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [When we observe contemporary society one thing strikes us. 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The world will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/i-still-remain-convinced-that-truth-love-peaceableness-meekness-and/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Whatever you have received more than others-in health, in talents, in ability, in success, in a pleasant childhood, in harmonious conditions of home life-all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/whatever-you-have-received-more-than-others-in-health-in-talents-in/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Every start on an untrodden path is a venture which only in unusual circumstances looks sensible and likely to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-start-on-an-untrodden-path-is-a-venture-which-only-in-unusual/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) [Explore all 400 Albert Schweitzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is a clever animal who behaves like an imbecile.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Schweitzer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like-an-imbecile/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like-an-imbecile/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like_2748048.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is a clever animal who behaves like an imbecile.” — Albert Schweitzer", "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": "Albert Schweitzer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man is a clever animal who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like-an-imbecile/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-is-a-clever-animal-who-behaves-like-an-imbecile/#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 } } ] } ```