--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have heard of a Society for the…" description: "\"We have heard of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. It is said that knowledge is power, and the like. Methinks there is equal need of a S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/henry-david-thoreau-20_advantage_we-have-heard-of-a-society-for-the-diffu_2484947.jpg" --- # We have heard of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful… ![“We have heard of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. It is said that knowledge is power, and the like. Methinks there is equal need of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Ignorance, what we will call Beautiful Knowledge, a knowledge useful in a higher sense: for what is most of our…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/henry-david-thoreau-20_advantage_we-have-heard-of-a-society-for-the-diffu_2484947.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/henry-david-thoreau-20_advantage_we-have-heard-of-a-society-for-the-diffu_2484947.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/henry-david-thoreau-20_advantage_we-have-heard-of-a-society-for-the-diffu_2484947.jpg) > “We have heard of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. It is said that knowledge is power, and the like. Methinks there is equal need of a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Ignorance, what we will call Beautiful Knowledge, a knowledge useful in a higher sense: for what is most of our boasted so-called knowledge but a conceit that we know something, which robs us of the advantage of our actual ignorance? What we call knowledge is often our positive ignorance; ignorance our negative knowledge.” [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. True knowledge comes from recognizing the value of ignorance, allowing deeper insight beyond mere facts. **In simple terms:** Embrace useful ignorance for deeper understanding. Key Takeaway Seek humility, value ignorance. Themes knowledge ignorance humility wisdom Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education reform - creative problem solving - personal reflection Key Concepts epistemology paradox Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance knowledge and humility? - When does ignorance become harmful? A Different Perspective Ignorance can be misused as excuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Called Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-knowledge-673520/) [Conceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceit/) [Diffusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diffusion/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Ignorance Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance-knowledge-455403/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge is power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-is-power/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-knowledge-904058/) [Positive Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-ignorance-904059/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Useful knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [“But I wouldn't tell them a thing. The less they knew, the better. I was positive of that. Ignorance is bliss, and the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-alender/but-i-wouldn-t-tell-them-a-thing-the-less-they-knew-the-better-i-was/) [Katie Alender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-alender/) > [“What we will call beautiful Knowledge, a knowledge useful in a higher sense: for what is most of our boated so-called knowledge but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/what-we-will-call-beautiful-knowledge-a-knowledge-useful-in-a-higher/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [My desire for knowledge is intermittent; but my desire to bathe my head in atmospheres unknown to my feet is perennial and constant. 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White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“What we firmly believe, if it is true, is called knowledge, provided it is either intuitive or inferred (logically or psychologically) from intuitive knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/what-we-firmly-believe-if-it-is-true-is-called-knowledge-provided-it/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“To maintain peace in situations of externally induced problems, the Lord has called that an effort, and to maintain oneness with the Self, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/to-maintain-peace-in-situations-of-externally-induced-problems-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The Absolute Truth of Knowledge is precisely non-Knowledge. 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But if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/despite-knowing-and-seeing-through-the-senses-if-one-remains-free/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“When just one single word comes in action then it is called ‘Knowledge’ (Gnan) and even after reading all the scriptures but not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-just-one-single-word-comes-in-action-then-it-is-called-knowledge/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“When you've lived as long as I have, you tend to think you've heard everything, that there's nothing left that can shock you anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/when-you-ve-lived-as-long-as-i-have-you-tend-to-think-you-ve-heard/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) ## 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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