--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who talk don't know what is going…" description: "\"Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk.\" — Larry Speakes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg" --- # Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who… ![“Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk.” quote by Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg) > “Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk.” [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Those who speak often lack understanding; those who understand stay silent. **In simple terms:** Understanding often leads to silence. Key Takeaway Listen more, speak less when uncertain. Themes communication knowledge silence Mood cautious thoughtful Type advice observational When to use this quote - political negotiations - team meetings - classroom discussions Key Concepts epistemic humility strategic reticence Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to speak up? - What risks arise from staying silent? A Different Perspective Silence can be misinterpreted as ignorance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-know-236502/) [Going Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-know-365747/) [Know Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-going-252208/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Won Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/won-talk-876793/) ## Related quotes > [“You may not know what you are going to get but you know it is going to be an adventure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-vickers/you-may-not-know-what-you-are-going-to-get-but-you-know-it-is-going/) [Lee Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-vickers/) > [“You can’t trust how I’ll get somewhere, but you have to trust I know where I’m going. I always know where I’m going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/you-can-t-trust-how-i-ll-get-somewhere-but-you-have-to-trust-i-know/) [Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/) > [“If you don't know where your're going, you should know where you came from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/if-you-don-t-know-where-your-re-going-you-should-know-where-you-came/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“...kids always know what's going on, even before you know yourself sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/kids-always-know-what-s-going-on-even-before-you-know-yourself/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [If you don't know by now, you're never going to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-dupri/if-you-don-t-know-by-now-you-re-never-going-to-know/) [Jermaine Dupri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-dupri/) > [Do you know where you going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/do-you-know-where-you-going-to-do-you-like-the-things-that-life-is/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [“Unless you know where you are going then you will not know how to get there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/unless-you-know-where-you-are-going-then-you-will-not-know-how-to-get/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“If you don't know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-morgenstern/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-are-going-how-will-you-know-when-you-get/) [Julie Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-morgenstern/) > [Just tell me what to do. I don't know where I'm going, but I know I don't want to be here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-john/just-tell-me-what-to-do-i-don-t-know-where-i-m-going-but-i-know-i-don/) [Dan John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-john/) > [We can only know where we're going if we know where we've been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/we-can-only-know-where-we-re-going-if-we-know-where-we-ve-been/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“If you don't know where you're going you should know where you come from”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-should-know-where-you-come/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“I don't know where I'm going, but I know I'm going somewhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/i-don-t-know-where-i-m-going-but-i-know-i-m-going-somewhere/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [I'm a big believer in the notion that to know where you are going, you have to know where everything has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-m-a-big-believer-in-the-notion-that-to-know-where-you-are-going-you/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-can-t-really-know-where-you-are-going-until-you-know-where-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Wherever Jesus may lead us, He goes before us. If we don't know where we are going, we know with whom we go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wherever-jesus-may-lead-us-he-goes-before-us-if-we-don-t-know-where/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Larry Speakes > [Being a press secretary is like learning to type: You're hunting and pecking for a while and then you find yourself doing the touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/being-a-press-secretary-is-like-learning-to-type-you-re-hunting-and/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [Ol' Shoot from the Lip," we call him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/ol-shoot-from-the-lip-we-call-him/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [Rules for a White House Spokesman: No. 1 is always tell the truth. I've got only one currency, that's the truth. There are 10,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/rules-for-a-white-house-spokesman-no-1-is-always-tell-the-truth-i-ve/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [I would dodge, not lie, in the national interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/i-would-dodge-not-lie-in-the-national-interest/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [You don't tell us how to stage the news and we don't tell you how to cover it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/you-don-t-tell-us-how-to-stage-the-news-and-we-don-t-tell-you-how-to/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [If you tell the same story five times, it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/if-you-tell-the-same-story-five-times-it-s-true/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) > [When, at the age of seven, he blew up the family truck by dropping a match down the gas tank, we should have known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/when-at-the-age-of-seven-he-blew-up-the-family-truck-by-dropping-a/) [Larry Speakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) [Explore all 8 Larry Speakes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/) ## More Talk quotes > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) [KushSoulja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushsoulja/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I'd love to talk to myself at 40 and see what I've achieved and what I feel... but I will just be the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/i-d-love-to-talk-to-myself-at-40-and-see-what-i-ve-achieved-and-what/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [When I'm on Twitter, we just talk to people. I call all my Twitter followers my 'Twitter babies.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rozonda-thomas/when-i-m-on-twitter-we-just-talk-to-people-i-call-all-my-twitter/) [Rozonda Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rozonda-thomas/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Learning how to rap actually improved my English, because it forced me to talk fast, and I used to suck at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/learning-how-to-rap-actually-improved-my-english-because-it-forced-me/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) > [If you're in a meeting and a man talks loudly over you, rather than copying that behaviour and normalising it, what you could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/if-you-re-in-a-meeting-and-a-man-talks-loudly-over-you-rather-than/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [“Listen! I know it's not right to talk. Better to set an example, better to just start - I have already started - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/listen-i-know-it-s-not-right-to-talk-better-to-set-an-example-better/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) [Browse all 6,616 Talk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Speakes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going-on-and-those-who-know-what-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Talk" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going-on-and-those-who-know-what-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/larry-speakes-47727_talk_those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going_2482273.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who talk don't know what is going on and those who know what is going on won't talk.” — Larry Speakes", "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": "Larry Speakes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-speakes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who talk don't know what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going-on-and-those-who-know-what-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-speakes/those-who-talk-don-t-know-what-is-going-on-and-those-who-know-what-is/#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 } } ] } ```