--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men talk glibly enough about moonshine…" description: "\"Men talk glibly enough about moonshine, as if they knew its qualities very well, and despised them; as owls might talk of sunshine,--none of your sunsh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/henry-david-thoreau-20_awake_men-talk-glibly-enough-about-moonshine-a_3037130.jpg" --- # Men talk glibly enough about moonshine, as if they knew… ![“Men talk glibly enough about moonshine, as if they knew its qualities very well, and despised them; as owls might talk of sunshine,--none of your sunshine!--but this word commonly means merely something which they do not understand,--which they are abed and asleep to, however much it may be worth…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/henry-david-thoreau-20_awake_men-talk-glibly-enough-about-moonshine-a_3037130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/henry-david-thoreau-20_awake_men-talk-glibly-enough-about-moonshine-a_3037130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/henry-david-thoreau-20_awake_men-talk-glibly-enough-about-moonshine-a_3037130.jpg) > “Men talk glibly enough about moonshine, as if they knew its qualities very well, and despised them; as owls might talk of sunshine,--none of your sunshine!--but this word commonly means merely something which they do not understand,--which they are abed and asleep to, however much it may be worth their while to be up and awake to it.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People dismiss what they don’t understand, labeling it as nonsense, yet such things may hold value. **In simple terms:** Ignorance leads to dismissal. Key Takeaway Seek understanding before judging. Themes ignorance misunderstanding value curiosity Mood inquisitive reflective Type essay philosophical When to use this quote - education - science communication - personal growth Key Concepts epistemology skepticism Questions to Reflect On - What do you label as “moonshine”? - How can you explore the unknown? A Different Perspective Dismissal can protect from harmful ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) [Despised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Glibly Moonshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glibly-moonshine-4988297/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Moonshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonshine/) [Moonshine Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonshine-knew-4988296/) [Owl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owl/) [Owls Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owls-talk-4988299/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunshine/) [Sunshine Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunshine-word-4988298/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [If we cannot sing of faith and triumph, we will sing our despair. 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They have only to exercise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/all-talk-of-women-s-rights-is-moonshine-women-have-every-right-they/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [“Ray, I’ve run my last run of moonshine, I'm not gonna do it anymore, I'm just getting too old to be doing this stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/popcorn-sutton/ray-i-ve-run-my-last-run-of-moonshine-i-m-not-gonna-do-it-anymore-i-m/) [Popcorn Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/popcorn-sutton/) > [You can tell it's good if you light it and a blue flame comes up; that means it's good moonshine and it won't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-knoxville/you-can-tell-it-s-good-if-you-light-it-and-a-blue-flame-comes-up-that/) [Johnny Knoxville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-knoxville/) > [I confess, without shame, that I am sick and tired of fighting — its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/i-confess-without-shame-that-i-am-sick-and-tired-of-fighting-its/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [All talk of winning the people by appealing to their intelligence, of conquering them by impeccable syllogism, is so much moonshine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-talk-of-winning-the-people-by-appealing-to-their-intelligence-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We do ourselves as politicians no favours if we are seen to peddle unachievable moonshine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/we-do-ourselves-as-politicians-no-favours-if-we-are-seen-to-peddle/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Now behind the eyes and secrets of the dreamers in the streets rocked to sleep by the sea, see the titbits and topsyturvies, bobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/now-behind-the-eyes-and-secrets-of-the-dreamers-in-the-streets-rocked/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. 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Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. 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