--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Against stupidity the very gods…" description: "\"Against stupidity the very gods themselves contend in vain.\" — Friedrich Schiller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/friedrich-schiller-832_god_against-stupidity-the-very-gods-themselv_2421750.png" --- # Against stupidity the very gods themselves contend in vain. ![“Against stupidity the very gods themselves contend in vain.” quote by Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/friedrich-schiller-832_god_against-stupidity-the-very-gods-themselv_2421750.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/friedrich-schiller-832_god_against-stupidity-the-very-gods-themselv_2421750.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de3/friedrich-schiller-832_god_against-stupidity-the-very-gods-themselv_2421750.png) > “Against stupidity the very gods themselves contend in vain.” [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even divine beings struggle against human folly, highlighting the futility of battling ignorance. **In simple terms:** Even gods struggle with stupidity. Key Takeaway Accept limits of influencing others. Themes philosophy human nature wisdom Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - public discourse - policy making Key Concepts ignorance divine limitations Questions to Reflect On - Can we ever truly change irrational minds? - What role does humility play? A Different Perspective Even deities may be powerless against entrenched bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/against-stupidity-the-gods-themselves-contend-in-vain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Gegen die Dummheit kämpfen selbst die Götter vergebens ("Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-von-schiller/gegen-die-dummheit-k-mpfen-selbst-die-g-tter-vergebens-against/) [Friedrich Von Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-von-schiller/) > [Folly, thou conquerest, and I must yield! Against stupidity the very gods Themselves contend in vain. Exalted reason, Resplendent daughter of the head divine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/folly-thou-conquerest-and-i-must-yield-against-stupidity-the-very/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [With stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/with-stupidity-the-gods-themselves-struggle-in-vain/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [“Who?” “Schiller. A German dramatist of three centuries ago. In a play about Joan of Arc, he said, ‘Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/who-schiller-a-german-dramatist-of-three-centuries-ago-in-a-play/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“The meeting with Hapgood came about because I had told Uncle Alex that I might try to get a job with a labor union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/the-meeting-with-hapgood-came-about-because-i-had-told-uncle-alex/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [Against stupidity the very Gods themselves toil in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-von-schiller/against-stupidity-the-very-gods-themselves-toil-in-vain/) [Friedrich Von Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-von-schiller/) > [“And from there, he wandered off into an argument with Friedrich Schiller's grandiose statement that human stupidity was what the gods fought in vain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/and-from-there-he-wandered-off-into-an-argument-with-friedrich/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The brilliant Schiller was wrong in his Joan of Arc when he said against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain. It is actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-brilliant-schiller-was-wrong-in-his-joan-of-arc-when-he-said/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Who?” “Schiller. A German dramatist of three centuries ago. In a play about Joan of Arc, he said, ‘Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/who-schiller-a-german-dramatist-of-three-centuries-ago-in-a-play-2/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [It is occasionally possible to charge Hell with a bucket of water, but against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-fleeson/it-is-occasionally-possible-to-charge-hell-with-a-bucket-of-water-but/) Doris Fleeson > [Mitt der Dummheit k a« mpfen G o« tter selbst vergebens. 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