--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that some geniuses were laughed…" description: "\"The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.\" — Carl Sagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg" --- # The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply… ![“The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg) > “The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Not all laughed‑at individuals are geniuses; fame doesn’t equal brilliance. **In simple terms:** Being mocked isn’t proof of genius. Key Takeaway Judge ideas, not popularity. Themes creativity recognition misjudgment Mood inquisitive inspirational Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - education - media - career development Key Concepts innovation social validation Questions to Reflect On - What criteria truly measure brilliance? - How can we support undervalued innovators? A Different Perspective Dismissal of unconventional ideas can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) [Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmos/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Doing you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-you/) [Fact Geniuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-geniuses-1784736/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Funny leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-leadership/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Geniuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geniuses/) [Geniuses Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geniuses-laughed-1784734/) [Implying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/implying/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed/) [Laughed Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed-does-1784737/) [Laughed Geniuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed-geniuses-1784735/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Pale blue dot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pale-blue-dot/) [Smile and laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-and-laugh/) [Wright brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wright-brothers/) ## Related quotes > [Just the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/just-the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed-at-does-not-imply-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [There is perhaps no better a demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/there-is-perhaps-no-better-a-demonstration-of-the-folly-of-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Be grateful everyday for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/be-grateful-everyday-for-the-brief-but-magnificent-opportunity-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“The scope and audacity of John Kennedy’s May 25, 1961, message to a joint session of Congress on “Urgent National Needs”—the speech that launched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-scope-and-audacity-of-john-kennedy-s-may-25-1961-message-to-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/look-again-at-that-dot-that-s-here-that-s-home-that-s-us-on-it/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Those afraid of the universe as it really is, those who pretend to nonexistent knowledge and envision a Cosmos centered on human beings will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/those-afraid-of-the-universe-as-it-really-is-those-who-pretend-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Our posturings, our imagined self-importance , the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe are challenged by this point of pale light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/our-posturings-our-imagined-self-importance-the-delusion-that-we-have-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Ann Druyan suggests an experiment: Look back again at the pale blue dot of the preceding chapter. Take a good long look at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/ann-druyan-suggests-an-experiment-look-back-again-at-the-pale-blue/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Once we overcome our fear of being tiny, we find ourselves on the threshold of a vast and awesome Universe that utterly dwarfs —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/once-we-overcome-our-fear-of-being-tiny-we-find-ourselves-on-the/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/that-s-here-that-s-home-that-s-us-on-it-everyone-you-love-everyone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Consider again that pale blue dot...imagine that you take a good long look at it, imagine that you are starring at it for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/consider-again-that-pale-blue-dot-imagine-that-you-take-a-good-long/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [If we are to survive, our loyalties must be broadened further, to include the whole human community, the entire planet Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/if-we-are-to-survive-our-loyalties-must-be-broadened-further-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“One consequence of this train of argument is that, even if civilizations commonly arise on planets throughout the Galaxy, few of them will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/one-consequence-of-this-train-of-argument-is-that-even-if/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-has-been-said-that-astronomy-is-a-humbling-and-character-building/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It does no harm to the romance of the sunset to know a little bit about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-does-no-harm-to-the-romance-of-the-sunset-to-know-a-little-bit/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Don't judge everyone else by your own limited experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/don-t-judge-everyone-else-by-your-own-limited-experience/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Clown quotes > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [There are two types of people in this world. People who hate clowns...and clowns. (Bobby Pendragon)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/there-are-two-types-of-people-in-this-world-people-who-hate-clowns/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [I wanted to be a clown when I was a kid, so I love interacting and goofing around with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stonestreet/i-wanted-to-be-a-clown-when-i-was-a-kid-so-i-love-interacting-and/) [Eric Stonestreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stonestreet/) > [When fighting clowns, always go for the juggler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/when-fighting-clowns-always-go-for-the-juggler/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [He's fat and a clown, Bill, a fat clown for all to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon-dunphy/he-s-fat-and-a-clown-bill-a-fat-clown-for-all-to-see/) [Eamon Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon-dunphy/) > [You know, I was the class clown in Catholic school, but I never thought I would make a living out of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/you-know-i-was-the-class-clown-in-catholic-school-but-i-never-thought/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [You see, this heart, won't settle down; just like a child, running, scared, from a clown. Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-see-this-heart-won-t-settle-down-just-like-a-child-running-scared/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Circus clown. That's a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/circus-clown-that-s-a-new-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I first started getting into acting, I was doing improv in acting class, and I had done a serious monologue and everyone was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/when-i-first-started-getting-into-acting-i-was-doing-improv-in-acting/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“If i'm gonna be described as a clown for my actions, I might aswell be a whole circus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bee/if-i-m-gonna-be-described-as-a-clown-for-my-actions-i-might-aswell-be/) [Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bee/) > [I had a dream that a clown named dimples keep leaving the radio on in my room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-that-a-clown-named-dimples-keep-leaving-the-radio-on-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is that love? It seems like a pale word, too easily tossed about by people who don’t know the meaning of it, who twist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-aguirre/is-that-love-it-seems-like-a-pale-word-too-easily-tossed-about-by/) [Ann Aguirre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-aguirre/) > [I'm an actor, not a clown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-m-an-actor-not-a-clown/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) [Browse all 837 Clown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clown/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Sagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed-at-does-not-imply-that-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clown" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed-at-does-not-imply-that-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/carl-sagan-160_clown_the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed_2581952.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.” — Carl Sagan", "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": "Carl Sagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fact that some geniuses were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed-at-does-not-imply-that-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-fact-that-some-geniuses-were-laughed-at-does-not-imply-that-all/#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 } } ] } ```