--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest fools are ofttimes more…" description: "\"The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg" --- # The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men… ![“The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg) > “The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fools often outwit those who mock them, showing that mockery can be misguided. **In simple terms:** Fools can be smarter than their critics. Key Takeaway Don’t underestimate others. Themes humor intelligence pride Mood wry thoughtful Type satirical observational When to use this quote - workplace - social media - political debate - friendships Key Concepts Psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Who might you be underestimating? - How does humor mask insight? A Different Perspective Cleverness can be hidden behind foolishness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever then the men who laugh at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-rr-martin/the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-clever-then-the-men-who-laugh-at/) [George RR Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-rr-martin/) > [Only fools seek power, and the greatest fools seek it through force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/only-fools-seek-power-and-the-greatest-fools-seek-it-through-force/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“Impatience makes fools of clever men...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-scotti/impatience-makes-fools-of-clever-men/) R. A. Scotti > [Fools lie, clever men stick to the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/fools-lie-clever-men-stick-to-the-truth/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [Clever men are impressed in their differences from their fellows. Wise men are conscious of their resemblance to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/clever-men-are-impressed-in-their-differences-from-their-fellows-wise/) [R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/) > [I have no great quickness of apprehension or wit which is so remarkable in some clever men, for instance Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-have-no-great-quickness-of-apprehension-or-wit-which-is-so/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [The three greatest fools (majaderos) of history have been Jesus Christ, Don Quixote - and I!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/the-three-greatest-fools-majaderos-of-history-have-been-jesus-christ/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) > [... it's always determined characters who make the greatest fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/it-s-always-determined-characters-who-make-the-greatest-fools/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) > [The greatest of fools is he who imposes on himself, and in his greatest concern thinks certainly he knows that which he has least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/the-greatest-of-fools-is-he-who-imposes-on-himself-and-in-his/) [Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/) > [Greatest fools are the most often satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/greatest-fools-are-the-most-often-satisfied/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [Learned fools are the greatest fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/learned-fools-are-the-greatest-fools/) Russyb > [Yet with great toil all that I can attain by long experience, and in learned schools, is for to know my knowledge is but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-alexander/yet-with-great-toil-all-that-i-can-attain-by-long-experience-and-in/) [William Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-alexander/) > [The greatest of all fools is the proud fool--who is at the mercy of every fool he meets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-allston/the-greatest-of-all-fools-is-the-proud-fool-who-is-at-the-mercy-of/) [Washington Allston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-allston/) > [The greatest fools are oft the most satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/the-greatest-fools-are-oft-the-most-satisfied/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [The three greatest fools of History have been Jesus Christ, Don Quixote . . . and me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-bolivar/the-three-greatest-fools-of-history-have-been-jesus-christ-don/) [Simon Bolivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-bolivar/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Clever quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [ 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/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [If she is stupid enough to let you go, you're clever enough not to look back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-she-is-stupid-enough-to-let-you-go-you-re-clever-enough-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Need to go to the pharmacy, because I'm so sick!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-matthews/need-to-go-to-the-pharmacy-because-i-m-so-sick/) Tasha Matthews > [My valour is certainly going! - it is sneaking off! - I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/my-valour-is-certainly-going-it-is-sneaking-off-i-feel-it-oozing-out/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > ['I Love You' fails to sum up all the memories, smiles, laughs, trials, and tribulations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/i-love-you-fails-to-sum-up-all-the-memories-smiles-laughs-trials-and/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [People may say that what I do is very clever, but it's not really at all. It's not Swift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/people-may-say-that-what-i-do-is-very-clever-but-it-s-not-really-at/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Regrets are like mistresses," he informed her. "I ..." Her hand dropped from the handle. "What?" "Good men don't have them." She blinked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/regrets-are-like-mistresses-he-informed-her-i-her-hand-dropped-from/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [I love clever lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-clever-lyrics/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) [Browse all 2,116 Clever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-clever-than-the-men-who-laugh-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clever" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-clever-than-the-men-who-laugh-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d2/anonymous-1_clever_the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-cle_2991547.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.” — Anonymous", "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": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greatest fools are ofttimes more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-clever-than-the-men-who-laugh-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-fools-are-ofttimes-more-clever-than-the-men-who-laugh-at/#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 } } ] } ```