--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by…" description: "\"Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future.\" — Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png" --- # Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the… ![“Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future.” quote by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png) > “Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future.” [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neglecting future consequences limits present understanding and progress. **In simple terms:** Think about future impact. Key Takeaway Consider long‑term effects. Themes future knowledge progress Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - planning - investment - education - policy development Key Concepts foresight historical perspective learning Questions to Reflect On - What future trends are you ignoring? - How can you incorporate foresight today? A Different Perspective Predicting the future is uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It's quite possible for an executive to hit her goal for the quarter by ignoring the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/it-s-quite-possible-for-an-executive-to-hit-her-goal-for-the-quarter/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [The world is so dreadfully managed, one hardly knows to whom to complain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-firbank/the-world-is-so-dreadfully-managed-one-hardly-knows-to-whom-to/) [Ronald Firbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-firbank/) > [“I thought I wanted these memories, but now I realize he hardly knows me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/i-thought-i-wanted-these-memories-but-now-i-realize-he-hardly-knows-me/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [The outside world hardly knows me and thinks Jwala is a celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jwala-gutta/the-outside-world-hardly-knows-me-and-thinks-jwala-is-a-celebrity/) [Jwala Gutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jwala-gutta/) > [“She's right, she hardly knows me. But still: Her heart is racing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/she-s-right-she-hardly-knows-me-but-still-her-heart-is-racing/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Without adversity a person hardly knows whether they are honest or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/without-adversity-a-person-hardly-knows-whether-they-are-honest-or-not/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [I'm focused on my future. I'm ignoring my past, apart from the bits that I draw from to help me focus on my future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-harding/i-m-focused-on-my-future-i-m-ignoring-my-past-apart-from-the-bits/) [Aldous Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-harding/) > [I am not ignoring you, just trying to reduce my expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-am-not-ignoring-you-just-trying-to-reduce-my-expectations/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [In Holland I have seen well-meaning, principled people blinded by multiculturalism, overwhelmed by the imperative to be sensitive and respectful of immigrant culture, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/in-holland-i-have-seen-well-meaning-principled-people-blinded-by/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [You can't delete people out of your life . Forgetting them is hard and ignoring them doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-delete-people-out-of-your-life-forgetting-them-is-hard-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [By ignoring tomorrow, we undermine today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamais-cascio/by-ignoring-tomorrow-we-undermine-today/) [Jamais Cascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamais-cascio/) > [I hate it when someone says they are not ignoring you but yet they are not talking to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-hate-it-when-someone-says-they-are-not-ignoring-you-but-yet-they/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“I tried to leave you alone, Fitz. To find what peace you could, even if it excluded me from your life.” Ten years ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-tried-to-leave-you-alone-fitz-to-find-what-peace-you-could-even-if/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Destroy gossip by ignoring it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/destroy-gossip-by-ignoring-it/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) ## More by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I feel nothing, apart from a certain difficulty in continuing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/i-feel-nothing-apart-from-a-certain-difficulty-in-continuing-to-exist/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Behold a universe so immense that I am lost in it. I no longer know where I am. I am just nothing at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/behold-a-universe-so-immense-that-i-am-lost-in-it-i-no-longer-know/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Truth comes home to the mind so naturally, that when we learn it for the first time, it seems as though we did no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/truth-comes-home-to-the-mind-so-naturally-that-when-we-learn-it-for/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [A man finds no sweeter voice in all the world than that which chants his praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/a-man-finds-no-sweeter-voice-in-all-the-world-than-that-which-chants/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [In vain we shall penetrate more and more deeply the secrets of the structure of the human body, we shall not dupe nature; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/in-vain-we-shall-penetrate-more-and-more-deeply-the-secrets-of-the/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I hate war, for it spoils conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/i-hate-war-for-it-spoils-conversation/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Ah! si l'on o" tait les chime' res aux hommes, quel plaisir leur resterait? Oh! If man were robbed of his fantasies, what pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/ah-si-l-on-o-tait-les-chime-res-aux-hommes-quel-plaisir-leur/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I detest war; it ruins conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/i-detest-war-it-ruins-conversation/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [As astronomy is the daughter of idleness, geometry is the daughter of property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/as-astronomy-is-the-daughter-of-idleness-geometry-is-the-daughter-of/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [A true philosopher is like an elephant; he never puts the second foot down until the first one is solidly in place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/a-true-philosopher-is-like-an-elephant-he-never-puts-the-second-foot/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Let us be well assured of the Matter of Fact, before we trouble our selves with enquiring into the Cause. It is true, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/let-us-be-well-assured-of-the-matter-of-fact-before-we-trouble-our/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [I shall leave the world without regret, for it hardly contains a single good listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/i-shall-leave-the-world-without-regret-for-it-hardly-contains-a/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [The judgment may be compared to a clock or watch, where the most ordinary machine is sufficient to tell the hours; but the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/the-judgment-may-be-compared-to-a-clock-or-watch-where-the-most/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [To be happy, one must have a good stomach and a bad heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/to-be-happy-one-must-have-a-good-stomach-and-a-bad-heart/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) [Explore all 46 Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) ## More Future quotes > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) [Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-by-ignoring-the-future/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Future" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-by-ignoring-the-future/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenell_future_hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-b_560471.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future.” — Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle", "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": "Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hardly anyone knows how much is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-by-ignoring-the-future/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/hardly-anyone-knows-how-much-is-gained-by-ignoring-the-future/#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 } } ] } ```