---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fools have a great advantage over the…"
description: "\"Fools have a great advantage over the wise; they are always self-satisfied.\" — Napoleon Bonaparte"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg"
---

#  Fools have a great advantage over the wise; they are…

![“Fools have a great advantage over the wise; they are always self-satisfied.” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg)

> “Fools have a great advantage over the wise; they are always self-satisfied.”

[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.

Fools’ confidence blinds them, while the wise are often self‑critical and cautious.

**In simple terms:** Overconfidence can be a flaw.

Key Takeaway

Stay humble and self‑aware.

Themes

humility wisdom confidence

Mood

reflective cautionary

Type

philosophical advisory

When to use this quote

- decision making
- leadership
- personal development
- education

Key Concepts

cognitive bias self‑assessment psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance confidence and humility?
- When does caution become paralysis?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence may sometimes drive success.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Foolishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolishness/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Fools Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools-great-1208923/) [Great advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-advantage/) [Satisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfied/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Satisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-satisfied-1025717/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-self-1704619/)

## Related quotes

> [I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both; and I believe they both get paid in the end; but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-have-seen-wicked-men-and-fools-a-great-many-of-both-and-i-believe/)

[Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/)

> [Fools are in great demand, especially on social occasions. They embarrass everyone but provide material for conversation. In their positive form, they become diplomats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/fools-are-in-great-demand-especially-on-social-occasions-they/)

[Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/)

> [Children, when they are little, they make parents fools; when great, mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/children-when-they-are-little-they-make-parents-fools-when-great-mad/)

[John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/)

> [Deprived of the company of fools, a great wit does not seem half so clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-alexandre-frederic-duc-de-la-rochefoucauld-liancourt/deprived-of-the-company-of-fools-a-great-wit-does-not-seem-half-so/)

[Francois Alexandre Frederic, duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-alexandre-frederic-duc-de-la-rochefoucauld-liancourt/)

> [The fool has one great advantage over a man of sense; he is always satisfied with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-fool-has-one-great-advantage-over-a-man-of-sense-he-is-always/)

[Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/)

> [“We are in search of our most authentic, vital, generous, and wise self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/we-are-in-search-of-our-most-authentic-vital-generous-and-wise-self/)

[Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/)

> [“In the stormy ocean of life, take refuge in your wise self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/in-the-stormy-ocean-of-life-take-refuge-in-your-wise-self/)

[Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/)

> [Without making a fetish of goal setting, and without letting "lists" of tasks we desire to do dominate us, some recording of goals is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/without-making-a-fetish-of-goal-setting-and-without-letting-lists-of/)

[Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/)

> [Good character is that quality which makes one dependable whether being watched or not, which makes one truthful when it is to one's advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-s-adams/good-character-is-that-quality-which-makes-one-dependable-whether/)

[Arthur S. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-s-adams/)

> [“When you consider it as a communication tool of your wise self, clearing clutter becomes an opportunity to graduate, spiritually, to the next soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-l-richardson/when-you-consider-it-as-a-communication-tool-of-your-wise-self/)

[Kerri L. Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-l-richardson/)

> [I was born wise. Street-wise, people-wise, self-wise. This wisdom was my birthright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/i-was-born-wise-street-wise-people-wise-self-wise-this-wisdom-was-my/)

[Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/)

> [Each one of us regardless of our situation, is in our search of our most authentic, vital, generous and wise self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/each-one-of-us-regardless-of-our-situation-is-in-our-search-of-our/)

[Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/)

> [“at times the city can feel self-satisfied, even solipsistic,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/at-times-the-city-can-feel-self-satisfied-even-solipsistic/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

> [I know that I sound self-satisfied, and I know that I've got an ego, but I don't have an ego problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-know-that-i-sound-self-satisfied-and-i-know-that-i-ve-got-an-ego/)

[George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/)

> [I am not a person that's self satisfied just being out there. I want to go out there and play great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brady/i-am-not-a-person-that-s-self-satisfied-just-being-out-there-i-want/)

[Tom Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brady/)

## 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 Advantage quotes

> [Dogmatists have one advantage: they are poor listeners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/dogmatists-have-one-advantage-they-are-poor-listeners/)

[Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/)

> [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/)

[Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/)

> [All I ever wanted was an unfair advantage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-wynn/all-i-ever-wanted-was-an-unfair-advantage/)

[Garrison Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-wynn/)

> [Part of the advantage, and part of the result of trying to be a producer and director, are the practical things, you find. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/part-of-the-advantage-and-part-of-the-result-of-trying-to-be-a/)

[Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/)

> [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/)

[Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/)

> [Like funny men, skilled diners are apparently perceived to have an evolutionary advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/like-funny-men-skilled-diners-are-apparently-perceived-to-have-an/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [For some reason when I decide to pursue something, I never have any fear that it won't happen. I think it's just ingrained in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-blatz/for-some-reason-when-i-decide-to-pursue-something-i-never-have-any/)

[Kelly Blatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-blatz/)

> [I think I have good hands, so I try to use them to my advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-andreescu/i-think-i-have-good-hands-so-i-try-to-use-them-to-my-advantage/)

[Bianca Andreescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-andreescu/)

> [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/)

[Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/)

> [Baseball needs to put the steroids era behind it by having and enforcing tough rules against all kinds of artificial advantages, so that spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-olasky/baseball-needs-to-put-the-steroids-era-behind-it-by-having-and/)

[Marvin Olasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-olasky/)

> [Daily contact with some teachers is itself all-sided ethical education for the child without a spoken precept. Here, too, the real advantage of male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/daily-contact-with-some-teachers-is-itself-all-sided-ethical/)

[G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/)

> [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/)

[Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/)

> [I always tell women that the fact that you're different and that you're noticed, because there are few of us in the tech industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/i-always-tell-women-that-the-fact-that-you-re-different-and-that-you/)

[Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/)

[Browse all 3,503 Advantage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advantage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Fools have a great advantage over the wise; they are always self-satisfied.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Napoleon Bonaparte"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wise-they-are-always-self/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advantage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wise-they-are-always-self/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/napoleon-bonaparte-206_advantage_fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wi_2572472.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Fools have a great advantage over the wise; they are always self-satisfied.” — 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": "Fools have a great advantage over...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wise-they-are-always-self/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/fools-have-a-great-advantage-over-the-wise-they-are-always-self/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
