--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It ain't what a man don't know that makes…" description: "\"It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a fool, but what he does know that ain't so.\" — Josh Billings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/josh-billings-777_doe_it-ain-t-what-a-man-don-t-know-that-make_528750.png" --- # It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a fool, but… ![“It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a fool, but what he does know that ain't so.” quote by Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/josh-billings-777_doe_it-ain-t-what-a-man-don-t-know-that-make_528750.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/josh-billings-777_doe_it-ain-t-what-a-man-don-t-know-that-make_528750.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/336/josh-billings-777_doe_it-ain-t-what-a-man-don-t-know-that-make_528750.png) > “It ain't what a man don't know that makes him a fool, but what he does know that ain't so.” [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. The danger lies in believing false information, not in lacking knowledge. **In simple terms:** False beliefs cause foolishness. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions. Themes knowledge belief critical thinking Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - decision making - education - media consumption - personal relationships - political discourse Key Concepts cognitive bias truth misinformation Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs have you accepted without verification? - How do you identify false knowledge? A Different Perspective People may lack access to correct information, limiting the ability to correct false beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) ## Related quotes > [It is better to know nothing than to know what ain't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-is-better-to-know-nothing-than-to-know-what-ain-t-so/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Only a fool does not look to explain his mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-a-fool-does-not-look-to-explain-his-mistakes/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-wise-man-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-finally/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A fool does not see the same trees a wise man sees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-hilles/a-fool-does-not-see-the-same-trees-a-wise-man-sees/) Rick Hilles > [The wise does at once what the fool does at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/the-wise-does-at-once-what-the-fool-does-at-last/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-wise-person-does-at-once-what-a-fool-does-at-last-both-do-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The trouble with most of us is that we know too much that ain't so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-trouble-with-most-of-us-is-that-we-know-too-much-that-ain-t-so/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I know you ain't never milked a cow before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-moore/i-know-you-ain-t-never-milked-a-cow-before/) [Justin Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-moore/) > [I know this ain't your first but it's better than your last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-know-this-ain-t-your-first-but-it-s-better-than-your-last/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [We can choose, you know, we ain't no amoeba.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/we-can-choose-you-know-we-ain-t-no-amoeba/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [“I don’t know where, but I know how and why. Two out of three out of six ain’t bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-don-t-know-where-but-i-know-how-and-why-two-out-of-three-out-of-six/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Unless you know what it is I ain't never going to be able to explain it to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/unless-you-know-what-it-is-i-ain-t-never-going-to-be-able-to-explain/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) > [“I haven't changed, but I know I ain't the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-dylan/i-haven-t-changed-but-i-know-i-ain-t-the-same/) [Jakob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-dylan/) > [I know that I can't take no more, It ain't no lie. I wanna see you out that door. Baby, bye, bye, bye...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nsync/i-know-that-i-can-t-take-no-more-it-ain-t-no-lie-i-wanna-see-you-out/) [Nsync](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nsync/) > [You know I ain’t got no brand new bag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-wells/you-know-i-ain-t-got-no-brand-new-bag/) Junior Wells ## 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 Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. 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The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? 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