--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A fool is only troublesome, a pedant…" description: "\"A fool is only troublesome, a pedant insupportable.\" — Napoleon Bonaparte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg" --- # A fool is only troublesome, a pedant insupportable. ![“A fool is only troublesome, a pedant insupportable.” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg) > “A fool is only troublesome, a pedant insupportable.” [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Foolishness causes trouble; pedantry is unbearable. **In simple terms:** Fools cause problems; pedants are intolerable. Key Takeaway Avoid foolish and pedantic behavior. Themes wisdom humility communication Mood critical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team collaboration - public speaking - conflict resolution Key Concepts social dynamics intellectual arrogance Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize when criticism is constructive? - When is caution becoming obstruction? A Different Perspective Some may view pedantry as expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fool Troublesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool-troublesome-473665/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Insupportable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insupportable-473669/) [Pedant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pedant-473668/) [Pedant Insupportable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pedant-insupportable-473667/) [Pedants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pedants/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Troublesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troublesome/) [Troublesome Pedant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troublesome-pedant-473666/) ## Related quotes > [Robespierre, this pedant of freedom!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/robespierre-this-pedant-of-freedom/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [Never argue with a pedant over nomenclature. It wastes your time and annoys the pedant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/never-argue-with-a-pedant-over-nomenclature-it-wastes-your-time-and/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [He who studies without passion will never become anything more than a pedant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/he-who-studies-without-passion-will-never-become-anything-more-than-a/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [He who will not listen to any advice, nor be corrected in his writings, is a rank pedant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-will-not-listen-to-any-advice-nor-be-corrected-in-his-writings/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A pedant holds more to instruct us with what he knows, than of what we are ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/a-pedant-holds-more-to-instruct-us-with-what-he-knows-than-of-what-we/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [The scholar without good breeding is a pedant; the philosopher, a cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/the-scholar-without-good-breeding-is-a-pedant-the-philosopher-a-cynic/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Pedants make a great rout about criticism, as if it were a science of great depth, and required much pains and knowledge--criticism however is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/pedants-make-a-great-rout-about-criticism-as-if-it-were-a-science-of/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [The scholar may lose himself in schools, in words, and become a pedant; but when he comprehends his duties, he above all men is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-scholar-may-lose-himself-in-schools-in-words-and-become-a-pedant/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The brains of a pedant however full, are vacant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/the-brains-of-a-pedant-however-full-are-vacant/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [The fool only is troublesome. A plan of sense perceives when he is agreeable or tiresome; he disappears the very minute before he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-fool-only-is-troublesome-a-plan-of-sense-perceives-when-he-is/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The most insupportable of tyrannies is that of inferiors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-most-insupportable-of-tyrannies-is-that-of-inferiors/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Life, I fancy, would very often be insupportable, but for the luxury of self compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gissing/life-i-fancy-would-very-often-be-insupportable-but-for-the-luxury-of/) [George Gissing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gissing/) > [The same vices which are huge and insupportable in others we do not feel in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-same-vices-which-are-huge-and-insupportable-in-others-we-do-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [What makes the vanity of others insupportable is that it wounds our own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/what-makes-the-vanity-of-others-insupportable-is-that-it-wounds-our/) [François De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [To a reasonable creature, that alone is insupportable which is unreasonable; but everything reasonable may be supported.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/to-a-reasonable-creature-that-alone-is-insupportable-which-is/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More by Napoleon Bonaparte > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Men grow old quickly on the battlefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-grow-old-quickly-on-the-battlefield/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-a-government-is-dependent-upon-bankers-for-money-they-and-not/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/all-becomes-easy-when-we-follow-the-current-of-opinion-it-is-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-bullet-that-will-kill-me-is-not-yet-cast/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reputation is a great noise, the more there is of it, and the further does it swell. Land, monuments, Nations, all fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reputation-is-a-great-noise-the-more-there-is-of-it-and-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Character is victory organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/character-is-victory-organized/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/there-is-only-one-favorable-moment-in-war-talent-consists-in-knowing/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reserve-and-severity-of-manners-are-necessary-for-the-command/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Explore all 914 Napoleon Bonaparte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [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/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [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/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A fool is only troublesome, a pedant insupportable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Bonaparte" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insupportable/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fool" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insupportable/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/napoleon-bonaparte-206_fool_a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insu_2439474.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A fool is only troublesome, a pedant insupportable.” — Napoleon Bonaparte", "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": "Napoleon Bonaparte", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A fool is only troublesome, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insupportable/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-fool-is-only-troublesome-a-pedant-insupportable/#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 } } ] } ```