---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had a high opinion of his own insight…"
description: "\"“He had a high opinion of his own insight, a weakness excusable in him as he was fifty, an age at which a clever man of the world of established positi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg"
---

#  He had a high opinion of his own insight, a weakness…

![“He had a high opinion of his own insight, a weakness excusable in him as he was fifty, an age at which a clever man of the world of established position can hardly help taking himself rather seriously.” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg)

> ““He had a high opinion of his own insight, a weakness excusable in him as he was fifty, an age at which a clever man of the world of established position can hardly help taking himself rather seriously.””

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A man overestimates his own wisdom, especially when older and established, leading to undue self‑importance.

**In simple terms:** Older, established people may think too highly of their insight.

Key Takeaway

Beware of overconfidence as you age.

Themes

pride self‑awareness age wisdom

Mood

reflective critical

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- leadership
- personal relationships
- public speaking

Key Concepts

ego cognitive bias humility

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you assume your experience always gives you the right answer?
- How can humility improve your decisions?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence can blind one to learning and growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-clever-2121087/) [Clever man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever-man/) [Excusable Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excusable-age-2121089/) [High Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-opinion-685251/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Weakness Excusable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness-excusable-2121088/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [“They say old age is a clever thief. He steals things without you noticing, until there’s nothing left. The same goes for urban development.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-keen/they-say-old-age-is-a-clever-thief-he-steals-things-without-you/)

[Greg Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-keen/)

> [“Age is a clever thief. It takes a little from you each day, so you're not aware of your loss until it's irreversible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/age-is-a-clever-thief-it-takes-a-little-from-you-each-day-so-you-re-2/)

[James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke/)

> [Age is a clever thief. It takes a little from you each day, so you're not aware of your loss until it'd irreversible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lee-burke/age-is-a-clever-thief-it-takes-a-little-from-you-each-day-so-you-re/)

[James Lee Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lee-burke/)

> [“There is nothing so annoying as to be fairly rich, of a fairly good family, pleasing presence, average education, to be "not stupid," kindhearted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/there-is-nothing-so-annoying-as-to-be-fairly-rich-of-a-fairly-good-2/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“It's always worthwhile speaking to a clever man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/it-s-always-worthwhile-speaking-to-a-clever-man/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“Hmmm. Someone has a high opinion of himself. Comes with being royalty, I suppose. Like funny hats and a fondness for beheadings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/hmmm-someone-has-a-high-opinion-of-himself-comes-with-being-royalty-i/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“You sure have a high opinion of yourself, thinking it's going to happen again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-sure-have-a-high-opinion-of-yourself-thinking-it-s-going-to/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [I think it's one of the scars in our culture that we have too high an opinion of ourselves. We align ourselves with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/i-think-it-s-one-of-the-scars-in-our-culture-that-we-have-too-high-an/)

[Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/)

> [None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/none-are-more-unjust-in-their-judgments-of-others-than-those-who-have/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [Crowley didn't have a very high opinion of women, and I don't think he was wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/crowley-didn-t-have-a-very-high-opinion-of-women-and-i-don-t-think-he/)

[Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/)

> [Like a lot of people in the computer industry, Keith Malinowski had spent his whole life being the smartest person in the room, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-cook/like-a-lot-of-people-in-the-computer-industry-keith-malinowski-had/)

[Rick Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-cook/)

> [My father has a high opinion of his opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/my-father-has-a-high-opinion-of-his-opinion/)

[Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/)

> [One must have a high opinion of a work of art - not the work one is creating at the moment, but of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-degas/one-must-have-a-high-opinion-of-a-work-of-art-not-the-work-one-is/)

[Edgar Degas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-degas/)

> [“No men who really think deeply about women retain a high opinion of them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/no-men-who-really-think-deeply-about-women-retain-a-high-opinion-of-2/)

[Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/)

> [I have a very high opinion of Steve King and his ability, so I would encourage him to consider any position for higher office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/i-have-a-very-high-opinion-of-steve-king-and-his-ability-so-i-would/)

[Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/)

## More by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

> [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“Listen! I know it's not right to talk. Better to set an example, better to just start - I have already started - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/listen-i-know-it-s-not-right-to-talk-better-to-set-an-example-better/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“The morning was so damp and misty”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-morning-was-so-damp-and-misty/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“I repeat, I repeat with emphasis: all "direct" persons and men of action are active just because they are stupid and limited. How explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-repeat-i-repeat-with-emphasis-all-direct-persons-and-men-of-action/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“He is a man of intelligence, but to act sensibly, intelligence is not enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-is-a-man-of-intelligence-but-to-act-sensibly-intelligence-is-not/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [ “if \[God\] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of-the-earth-of-the-universe/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“From an encounter in 1862... “Dickens told me,” Dostoyevsky recalled in a letter written years later, “that all the good, simple people in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/from-an-encounter-in-1862-dickens-told-me-dostoyevsky-recalled-in-a/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“It must be the top drawer," he reflected. "So she carries the keys in a pocket on the right. All in one bunch on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/it-must-be-the-top-drawer-he-reflected-so-she-carries-the-keys-in-a/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“- You take evil for good. It's a passing crisis. It's the result of your illness, perhaps. - You do despise me! It's simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/you-take-evil-for-good-it-s-a-passing-crisis-it-s-the-result-of-your/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“Clouds overlaid the sky as with a shroud of mist, and everything looked sad, rainy, and threatening under a fine drizzle which was beating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/clouds-overlaid-the-sky-as-with-a-shroud-of-mist-and-everything/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“People who can speak well, speak briefly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/people-who-can-speak-well-speak-briefly/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“I think I could stand anything, any suffering, only to be able to say and to repeat to myself every moment, 'I exist.' In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-think-i-could-stand-anything-any-suffering-only-to-be-able-to-say/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [“There is no more ceaseless or tormenting care for man, as long as he remains free, than to find someone to bow down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/there-is-no-more-ceaseless-or-tormenting-care-for-man-as-long-as-he/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

[Explore all 1,078 Fyodor Dostoyevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

## More Clever man quotes

> [“As Hughes observed at first hand, the brothers were both serious men of similar temperament, always mischievous, for ever laughing, but where Larry was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-botting/as-hughes-observed-at-first-hand-the-brothers-were-both-serious-men/)

[Douglas Botting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-botting/)

> [A fool is a person who guesses and gets it wrong, a clever man is one who guesses, regardless of time period, and gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/a-fool-is-a-person-who-guesses-and-gets-it-wrong-a-clever-man-is-one/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [Clever men are impressed in their differences from their fellows. Wise men are conscious of their resemblance to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/clever-men-are-impressed-in-their-differences-from-their-fellows-wise/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [I have no great quickness of apprehension or wit which is so remarkable in some clever men, for instance Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-have-no-great-quickness-of-apprehension-or-wit-which-is-so/)

[Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/)

> [When I was 16, I played Macbeth at school and my English teacher said, 'I think you may have acting talent. Try to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/when-i-was-16-i-played-macbeth-at-school-and-my-english-teacher-said/)

[David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/)

> [Passion often renders the most clever man a fool, and sometimes renders the most foolish man clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-renders-the-most-clever-man-a-fool-and-sometimes/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Credulity is always a ridiculous, often a dangerous failing: it has made of many a clever man, a fool; and of many a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/credulity-is-always-a-ridiculous-often-a-dangerous-failing-it-has/)

[Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/)

> [When you're out in the desert, you can't believe the amount of stars. Are you busy as a bee? Do not even have time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/when-you-re-out-in-the-desert-you-can-t-believe-the-amount-of-stars/)

[Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/)

> [It is impossible for a dove to catch a swallow, for a clever man to catch a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/it-is-impossible-for-a-dove-to-catch-a-swallow-for-a-clever-man-to/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [Meadowlark Lemon is one very clever man, unique and truly one of a kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/meadowlark-lemon-is-one-very-clever-man-unique-and-truly-one-of-a-kind/)

[Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/)

> [“Only an ignorant man can see another ignorant as a clever man!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/only-an-ignorant-man-can-see-another-ignorant-as-a-clever-man/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“I confess, I do not understand what there is in her to make a clever man like you act such a fool.” “You might,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-confess-i-do-not-understand-what-there-is-in-her-to-make-a-clever/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [Things that would have made fame of a less clever man seemed tricks in his hands. It is a mistake to do things too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-that-would-have-made-fame-of-a-less-clever-man-seemed-tricks/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Any fool can make soap. It takes a clever man to sell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-barratt/any-fool-can-make-soap-it-takes-a-clever-man-to-sell-it/)

[Thomas J. Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-barratt/)

> [A clever man can see the world from a cave much better than a stupid man can from the top of a mountain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-clever-man-can-see-the-world-from-a-cave-much-better-than-a-stupid/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

[Browse all 102 Clever man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever-man/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“He had a high opinion of his own insight, a weakness excusable in him as he was fifty, an age at which a clever man of the world of established position can hardly help taking himself rather seriously.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Fyodor Dostoyevsky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight-a-weakness-excusable-in-him/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Clever man"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight-a-weakness-excusable-in-him/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_clever-man_he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight_1002086.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“He had a high opinion of his own insight, a weakness excusable in him as he was fifty, an age at which a…” — Fyodor Dostoyevsky",
                "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": "Fyodor Dostoyevsky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“He had a high opinion of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight-a-weakness-excusable-in-him/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-had-a-high-opinion-of-his-own-insight-a-weakness-excusable-in-him/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
