--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It ain't so much the things we don't know…" description: "\"It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in trouble. It's the things we know that ain't so.\" — Artemus Ward" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/artemus-ward-76082_knowledge_it-ain-t-so-much-the-things-we-don-t-kno_1788945.jpg" --- # It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in… ![“It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in trouble. It's the things we know that ain't so.” quote by Artemus Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/artemus-ward-76082_knowledge_it-ain-t-so-much-the-things-we-don-t-kno_1788945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/artemus-ward-76082_knowledge_it-ain-t-so-much-the-things-we-don-t-kno_1788945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a1/artemus-ward-76082_knowledge_it-ain-t-so-much-the-things-we-don-t-kno_1788945.jpg) > “It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in trouble. It's the things we know that ain't so.” Artemus Ward ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are often harmed not by ignorance but by false confidence in what we think we know. **In simple terms:** False confidence can cause trouble. Key Takeaway Question assumptions before acting. Themes knowledge confidence error Mood cautious inquisitive Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - decision making - learning - risk assessment - problem solving Key Concepts cognitive bias overconfidence Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs have you held that turned out wrong? - How can you verify knowledge before acting? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind us to real risks and lead to mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [It AIN'T so much the things we don't know that get us into trouble. It's the things we know that just ain't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-so-much-the-things-we-don-t-know-that-get-us-into-trouble-it/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Every writer I know has trouble writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/every-writer-i-know-has-trouble-writing/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [You know you're in trouble, when the bartender cries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-peterson/you-know-you-re-in-trouble-when-the-bartender-cries/) Michael Peterson > [Knowing the edge of your competency is important. If you think you know more than you do, you will get in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/knowing-the-edge-of-your-competency-is-important-if-you-think-you/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [It ain't what things actually are, it's all they stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-franklin/it-ain-t-what-things-actually-are-it-s-all-they-stand-for/) [Miles Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-franklin/) > [“It’s a bitch, ain’t it? The things we assume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-everett/it-s-a-bitch-ain-t-it-the-things-we-assume/) [Percival Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-everett/) > [Ain't too many things these ole boys can't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-jr/ain-t-too-many-things-these-ole-boys-can-t-do/) [Hank Williams Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-jr/) > [“Ain't but three things in this world worth a solitary dime/ But old dogs, children, and watermelon wine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/ain-t-but-three-things-in-this-world-worth-a-solitary-dime-but-old/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [I get in trouble for things I didnt even do. Wow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/i-get-in-trouble-for-things-i-didnt-even-do-wow/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [The trouble with most of the things that people want is that they get them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wald/the-trouble-with-most-of-the-things-that-people-want-is-that-they-get/) [George Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wald/) > [Stubborn people get themselves in a lot of trouble, but they also get things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paquin/stubborn-people-get-themselves-in-a-lot-of-trouble-but-they-also-get/) [Anna Paquin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paquin/) > [Getting in trouble for things you didn't do is the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-in-trouble-for-things-you-didn-t-do-is-the-worst/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I only know what it is that's wrong with him; not why it is." And what is it?" asked Lucy fearfully, expecting some harrowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-only-know-what-it-is-that-s-wrong-with-him-not-why-it-is-and-what/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [When you have trouble with things—whether it's figuring out whether to push or pull a door or the arbitrary vagaries of the modern computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/when-you-have-trouble-with-things-whether-it-s-figuring-out-whether/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [I like to write about things about which I have no answers, questions that trouble me. These things trouble me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-like-to-write-about-things-about-which-i-have-no-answers-questions/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) ## More by Artemus Ward > [“I have never heard any of your lectures, but from what I can learn I should say that for people who like the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artemus-ward/i-have-never-heard-any-of-your-lectures-but-from-what-i-can-learn-i/) Artemus Ward > [“I am happiest when I am idle. I could live for months without performing any kind of labor, and at the expiration of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artemus-ward/i-am-happiest-when-i-am-idle-i-could-live-for-months-without/) Artemus Ward Explore all 3 Artemus Ward quotes ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in trouble. 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