--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good nonsense is good sense in disguise." description: "\"Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.\" — Josh Billings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png" --- # Good nonsense is good sense in disguise. ![“Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.” quote by Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png) > “Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.” [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. What appears nonsensical can actually convey profound truth when examined closely. **In simple terms:** Nonsense can hide real sense. Key Takeaway Look beyond surface absurdity for meaning. Themes humor wisdom perception truth paradox Mood playful thoughtful Type aphilosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative writing - critical analysis - teaching critical thinking Key Concepts philosophy critical thinking language play Questions to Reflect On - When have you dismissed something that later proved insightful? - How can humor reveal hidden truths? A Different Perspective Sometimes “nonsense” may be used to dismiss valuable ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Good sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-sense/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) ## Related quotes > [When in doubt, make no sense. No sense is good. And nonsense is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/when-in-doubt-make-no-sense-no-sense-is-good-and-nonsense-is-good/) [Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/) > [“Nonsense, my good man! What we lose in vigor, we only gain in wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kennedy/nonsense-my-good-man-what-we-lose-in-vigor-we-only-gain-in-wisdom/) [James Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kennedy/) > [Nonsense is so good only because common sense is so limited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/nonsense-is-so-good-only-because-common-sense-is-so-limited/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Much of the blame is the malarkey that artists have created to glorify war, which as we all know, is nonsense, and a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/much-of-the-blame-is-the-malarkey-that-artists-have-created-to/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [It takes a heap of sense to write good nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-takes-a-heap-of-sense-to-write-good-nonsense/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [For as to the dispersing of Books, that Circumstance does perhaps as much harm as good: Since Nonsense flies with greater Celerity, and makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/for-as-to-the-dispersing-of-books-that-circumstance-does-perhaps-as/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“Rest assured you make perfectly good nonsense.  I understand you one-hundred-percent not at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/rest-assured-you-make-perfectly-good-nonsense-i-understand-you-one/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Do not be scared to do your good nonsense as it may seem to some people, out your good nonsense their is common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osunsakin-adewale/do-not-be-scared-to-do-your-good-nonsense-as-it-may-seem-to-some/) [Osunsakin Adewale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osunsakin-adewale/) > [I love Andre 3000 from OutKast. I think we'd complement each other, but I'm hoping he's got a good sense of humour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paloma-faith/i-love-andre-3000-from-outkast-i-think-we-d-complement-each-other-but/) [Paloma Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paloma-faith/) > [I am persuaded myself that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-persuaded-myself-that-the-good-sense-of-the-people-will-always/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [So there you have it: Nature is a rotten mess. But that's only the beginning. If you take your eyes off it for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goldberg/so-there-you-have-it-nature-is-a-rotten-mess-but-that-s-only-the/) [Lee Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goldberg/) > [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-an-unquestionable-truth-that-the-body-of-the-people-in-every/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/the-combination-of-landing-the-biggest-interview-of-my-career-and/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [Conceptual relativism is a heady and exotic doctrine, or would be if we could make good sense of it. The trouble is, as so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-davidson/conceptual-relativism-is-a-heady-and-exotic-doctrine-or-would-be-if/) [Donald Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-davidson/) > [I am a great lover of art, in many forms: paintings, objets, textiles. I don't have the talent for painting, but I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bisset/i-am-a-great-lover-of-art-in-many-forms-paintings-objets-textiles-i/) [Jacqueline Bisset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-bisset/) ## More by Josh Billings > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [There is only one good substitute for the endearments of a sister, and that is the endearments of some other fellow's sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/there-is-only-one-good-substitute-for-the-endearments-of-a-sister-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up depends on the stuff he's made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/life-is-a-grindstone-and-whether-it-grinds-a-man-down-or-polishes-him/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Its harly my dog A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/its-harly-my-dog-a-dog-is-the-only-thing-on-earth-that-loves-you-more/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Perseverance is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/perseverance-is-king/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Unless we put heart and soul into our labor we but brutify our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/unless-we-put-heart-and-soul-into-our-labor-we-but-brutify-our-actions/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [A secret ceases to be a secret if it is once confided - it is like a dollar bill, once broken, it is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/a-secret-ceases-to-be-a-secret-if-it-is-once-confided-it-is-like-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If a man is right, he can't be too radical; if he is wrong, he can't be too conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-a-man-is-right-he-can-t-be-too-radical-if-he-is-wrong-he-can-t-be/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [As a general rule, if you want to get at the truth - hear both sides and believe neither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/as-a-general-rule-if-you-want-to-get-at-the-truth-hear-both-sides-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Economy is a savings-bank, into which men drop pennies, and get dollars in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/economy-is-a-savings-bank-into-which-men-drop-pennies-and-get-dollars/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Self-made men are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/self-made-men-are-most-always-apt-to-be-a-little-too-proud-of-the-job/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Poverty is one of them kind of misfortunes that we all of us dread but none of us pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/poverty-is-one-of-them-kind-of-misfortunes-that-we-all-of-us-dread/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If the world despises a hypocrite, what must they think of him in heaven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-the-world-despises-a-hypocrite-what-must-they-think-of-him-in/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [The man who gets bit twice by the same dog is better adapted for that kind of business than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-man-who-gets-bit-twice-by-the-same-dog-is-better-adapted-for-that/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) [Explore all 372 Josh Billings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## More Disguise quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [I am a dork in disguise; I love doing stupid stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/i-am-a-dork-in-disguise-i-love-doing-stupid-stuff/) [Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/) > [In the indications of female poverty there can be no disguise. No woman dresses below herself from caprice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/in-the-indications-of-female-poverty-there-can-be-no-disguise-no/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [My dad's idea of punishment was to dress me up in all green to disguise me as grass, and then throw me in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-callen/my-dad-s-idea-of-punishment-was-to-dress-me-up-in-all-green-to/) [Bryan Callen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-callen/) > [Cameras are a lifesaver for very shy people who have nowhere else to hide. Behind a lens they can disguise the fact that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/cameras-are-a-lifesaver-for-very-shy-people-who-have-nowhere-else-to/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [From childhood I was compelled to concentrate attention upon myself. This caused me much suffering, but to my present view, it was a blessing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/from-childhood-i-was-compelled-to-concentrate-attention-upon-myself/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The best live among us in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-dudek/the-best-live-among-us-in-disguise/) [Louis Dudek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-dudek/) > [Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-man-is-a-divinity-in-disguise-a-god-playing-the-fool/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I have found that in fiction one is freer to speak the truth, if only because in fiction the truth is not expected or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sington/i-have-found-that-in-fiction-one-is-freer-to-speak-the-truth-if-only/) [Philip Sington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sington/) > [“He was a chameleon. He could change his appearance in seconds. He was a master in disguise and he could baffle the best in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/he-was-a-chameleon-he-could-change-his-appearance-in-seconds-he-was-a/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Those who cannot conceive of Friendship as a substantive love but only as a disguise or elaboration of Eros betray the fact that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-cannot-conceive-of-friendship-as-a-substantive-love-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Recognize problems as opportunities in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/recognize-problems-as-opportunities-in-disguise/) Senoraroy > [Life is. I am. Anything might happen. And I believe I may invest my life with meaning. The uncertainty is a blessing in disguise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/life-is-i-am-anything-might-happen-and-i-believe-i-may-invest-my-life/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) [Browse all 784 Disguise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Billings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disguise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/josh-billings-777_disguise_good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise_1101533.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good nonsense is good sense in disguise.” — Josh Billings", "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": "Josh Billings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good nonsense is good sense in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/good-nonsense-is-good-sense-in-disguise/#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 } } ] } ```