Folly Quote by Oliver Goldsmith
“The folly of others is ever most ridiculous to those who are themselves most foolish.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Good-Natured Man, 1768
People who are foolish find others' mistakes especially absurd, highlighting projection of one's own folly.
In simple terms: Foolish people mock others more.
Key Takeaway
Recognize your own bias before judging.
Themes
humor
selfawareness
criticism
social perception
Mood
reflective
lighthearted
Type
satirical
observational
When to use this quote
- daily interactions
- online debates
- teaching empathy
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
psychology
projection
humor theory
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you notice when you judge others harshly?
- How can you reduce projection in criticism?
A Different Perspective
The statement may ignore that some errors are genuinely ridiculous regardless of one's own wisdom.
![“[T]here are depths of thousands of miles which are hidden from our inquiry. The only tidings we have from those unfathomable regions are by means of volcanoes, those burning mountains that seem to discharge their materials from the lowest abysses of the earth.” quote by Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b7d/oliver-goldsmith-772_abyss_t-here-are-depths-of-thousands-of-miles_88121.jpg)
