--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have this tendency to take a little bit…" description: "\"I have this tendency to take a little bit of questionable knowledge and riff on it.\" — George Saunders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg" --- # I have this tendency to take a little bit of questionable… ![“I have this tendency to take a little bit of questionable knowledge and riff on it.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg) > “I have this tendency to take a little bit of questionable knowledge and riff on it.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He admits to loosely building on uncertain information, using it as a springboard for creative exploration. **In simple terms:** He uses shaky facts to improvise ideas. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty, but verify later. Themes creativity risk improvisation Mood playful reflective Type creative analytical When to use this quote - writing workshops - brainstorming sessions - improvisational comedy - academic research Key Concepts critical thinking knowledge construction Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance improvisation with accuracy? - When is it acceptable to riff on uncertain knowledge? A Different Perspective Relying on shaky facts can undermine credibility if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bit Questionable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit-questionable-3713085/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Knowledge Riff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-riff-3713084/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Questionable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questionable/) [Questionable Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questionable-knowledge-3713083/) [Riff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riff/) [Tendencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendencies/) ## Related quotes > [When I write a song, it's all about the riff - the riff first, then the words come later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-dando/when-i-write-a-song-it-s-all-about-the-riff-the-riff-first-then-the/) [Evan Dando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-dando/) > [If you improvise a riff and the crowd immediately reacts to it, you know you're on to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/if-you-improvise-a-riff-and-the-crowd-immediately-reacts-to-it-you/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/) > [Riff-raff, street rat. I don't buy that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aladdin/riff-raff-street-rat-i-don-t-buy-that/) [Aladdin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aladdin/) > [Excuse me while I light my spliff, Good God I gotta take a lift, From reality I just cant drift, That's why I'm staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/excuse-me-while-i-light-my-spliff-good-god-i-gotta-take-a-lift-from/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [I like to decide the night before Thanksgiving that I'm gonna do it, and I'll see what riff raff is around. Then I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/i-like-to-decide-the-night-before-thanksgiving-that-i-m-gonna-do-it/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Songs are out there - they're waiting to be grabbed. I start with a phrase, musical and lyrical, words like 'I don't think so'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-wood/songs-are-out-there-they-re-waiting-to-be-grabbed-i-start-with-a/) [Ronnie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-wood/) > ['I'm Broken' was a sound check riff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/i-m-broken-was-a-sound-check-riff/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/) > [I think often times if a guitar riff is centered around the chorus or if it follows the chorus, then it often times turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-think-often-times-if-a-guitar-riff-is-centered-around-the-chorus-or/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [“Sometimes, sometimes you find a riff that fits so comfortably, you wish it would go on forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fox-benwell/sometimes-sometimes-you-find-a-riff-that-fits-so-comfortably-you-wish/) [Fox Benwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fox-benwell/) > [There's such a huge difference between a great arrangement of riffs and a song. Sometimes the two can be the same. But the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-such-a-huge-difference-between-a-great-arrangement-of-riffs/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [A riff can take on the aspect of a chorus in a listener's psyche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/a-riff-can-take-on-the-aspect-of-a-chorus-in-a-listener-s-psyche/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [I got really hooked on this riff in the middle of this song called 'Minor Miracles' by my friend Eric Johnson from Fruit Bats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-got-really-hooked-on-this-riff-in-the-middle-of-this-song-called/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [You can have the best riff in the world, but if the drums behind it just ain't vibing it, it's not gonna be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-christ/you-can-have-the-best-riff-in-the-world-but-if-the-drums-behind-it/) [Johnny Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-christ/) > [I like old-school, riff-driven, hard rock music with big hooks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/i-like-old-school-riff-driven-hard-rock-music-with-big-hooks/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [To me and my band, guitar riffs are what it's all about. We know that every time we jam on a great riff, we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimebag-darrell/to-me-and-my-band-guitar-riffs-are-what-it-s-all-about-we-know-that/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimebag-darrell/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“We must see God not as a Him (some linear rewarding fellow) but an IT, a great beast beyond our understanding, who wants something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-must-see-god-not-as-a-him-some-linear-rewarding-fellow-but-an-it-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [America, to me, should be shouting all the time, a bunch of shouting voices, most of them wrong, some of them nuts, but please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/america-to-me-should-be-shouting-all-the-time-a-bunch-of-shouting/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Whatever your supposed politics are - left, right - if you put it in a human connection, most people will rise to the occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/whatever-your-supposed-politics-are-left-right-if-you-put-it-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-re-in-the-transition-between-birth-and-death-but-the-one-that/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-don-t-want-to-be-that-parent-the-one-who-dresses-his-kid-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) [Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [He referred to me as an 'insufferable puffed-up prat'. This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [We, as pop stars, are people not androids. We’ve got views. I’ve got opinions and I don’t see why I shouldn’t use a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-meddows-taylor/we-as-pop-stars-are-people-not-androids-we-ve-got-views-i-ve-got/) [Roger Meddows Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-meddows-taylor/) > [In terms of style, too, I think I've been working with a somewhat limited -- although intentionally limited -- set of tools. So I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/in-terms-of-style-too-i-think-i-ve-been-working-with-a-somewhat/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [When my name started popping up I was quite irritated and a little bit in shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snow/when-my-name-started-popping-up-i-was-quite-irritated-and-a-little/) [Michael Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snow/) > [Don't get divorced after your first argument! I have a lot of friends that have one fight and that's it, they get divorced. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) [Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have this tendency to take a little bit of questionable knowledge and riff on it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Saunders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bit-of-questionable-knowledge/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bits" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bit-of-questionable-knowledge/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1a/george-saunders-317_bits_i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bi_2028583.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have this tendency to take a little bit of questionable knowledge and riff on it.” — George Saunders", "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": "George Saunders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have this tendency to take...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bit-of-questionable-knowledge/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-have-this-tendency-to-take-a-little-bit-of-questionable-knowledge/#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 } } ] } ```