--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only the very wisest and the very…" description: "\"It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who cannot change.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg" --- # It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who… ![“It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who cannot change.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg) > “It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who cannot change.” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both extreme wisdom and extreme folly can lead to rigidity, preventing personal growth. **In simple terms:** Extreme intellect or ignorance can block change. Key Takeaway Stay adaptable and open-minded. Themes growth flexibility wisdom Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career development - personal relationships - political discourse Key Concepts Stoicism psychology learning Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs keep you stuck? - How can humility foster adaptability? A Different Perspective Even the wise may resist change due to fear of losing identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Stupidest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidest/) [Stupidest Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidest-change-3313792/) [Very stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-stupid/) [Very wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-wise/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisest/) [Wisest Stupidest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisest-stupidest-1433221/) ## Related quotes > [It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very-stupidest-who-never-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [It is only the wisest and the stupidest that cannot change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-only-the-wisest-and-the-stupidest-that-cannot-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/only-the-wisest-and-stupidest-of-men-never-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I think that the film Clueless was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-silverstone/i-think-that-the-film-clueless-was-very-deep-i-think-it-was-deep-in/) [Alicia Silverstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-silverstone/) > [I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-silverstone/i-think-lightness-has-to-come-from-a-very-deep-place-if-it-s-true/) [Alicia Silverstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-silverstone/) > [The wisest man I ever knew taught me something I never forgot. And although I never forgot it, I never quite memorized it either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-wisest-man-i-ever-knew-taught-me-something-i-never-forgot-and/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The world is a better place to live in because it contains human beings who will give up ease and security in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-world-is-a-better-place-to-live-in-because-it-contains-human/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [it takes the very wisest person there is to know when to talk, and when to keep still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter/it-takes-the-very-wisest-person-there-is-to-know-when-to-talk-and/) [Gene Stratton-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter/) > [I know what you want. It is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way, and it will bring you to sorrow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/i-know-what-you-want-it-is-very-stupid-of-you-but-you-shall-have-your/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [Some of the best trades come when everyone gets very panicky. The crowd can often act very stupidly in the markets. You can picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-bradford-raschke/some-of-the-best-trades-come-when-everyone-gets-very-panicky-the/) [Linda Bradford Raschke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-bradford-raschke/) > [This is not a pleasant route for many young people to consider. You have to be either hopelessly passionate, or very stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/this-is-not-a-pleasant-route-for-many-young-people-to-consider-you/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Every virtue inclines to stupidity, every stupidity to virtue; "stupid to the point of sanctity," they say in Russia, - let us be careful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-virtue-inclines-to-stupidity-every-stupidity-to-virtue-stupid/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Since I'm the judge, it's a very stupid thing to irritate me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/since-i-m-the-judge-it-s-a-very-stupid-thing-to-irritate-me/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [If this man had not twelve thousand a year, he would be a very stupid fellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/if-this-man-had-not-twelve-thousand-a-year-he-would-be-a-very-stupid/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [I'm always surprised when the corporate world does stupid things, because they're often not very stupid in hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-always-surprised-when-the-corporate-world-does-stupid-things/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-rule-a-country-of-a-thousand-chariots-there-must-be-reverent/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A picture is poem without words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-picture-is-poem-without-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Heaven means to be one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/heaven-means-to-be-one-with-god/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recompense-kindness-with-kindness/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [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/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [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/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who cannot change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very-stupidest-who-cannot-change/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very-stupidest-who-cannot-change/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/confucius-164_change_it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very_2998157.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is only the very wisest and the very stupidest who cannot change.” — Confucius", "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": "Confucius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is only the very wisest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very-stupidest-who-cannot-change/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/it-is-only-the-very-wisest-and-the-very-stupidest-who-cannot-change/#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 } } ] } ```