--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: experience. There are only two kinds of…" description: "\"“experience. There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating--people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/oscar-wilde-16_experience_experience-there-are-only-two-kinds-of-p_2690733.jpg" --- # experience. There are only two kinds of people who are… ![“experience. There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating--people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/oscar-wilde-16_experience_experience-there-are-only-two-kinds-of-p_2690733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/oscar-wilde-16_experience_experience-there-are-only-two-kinds-of-p_2690733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/oscar-wilde-16_experience_experience-there-are-only-two-kinds-of-p_2690733.jpg) > ““experience. There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating--people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.”” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are either omniscient or completely ignorant, suggesting that true fascination lies in the extremes of knowledge. **In simple terms:** People are either all-knowing or clueless. Key Takeaway Embrace humility in learning. Themes knowledge humility curiosity Mood witty thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - education - debate - personal growth - social interaction Key Concepts epistemology intellectual diversity Questions to Reflect On - Do you identify with either extreme? - How can you appreciate nuanced understanding? A Different Perspective Most people fall between extremes, making the binary oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ## Related quotes > [There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating - people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-people-who-are-really-fascinating-people/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [What we ask of music, first and last, is that it communicate experience - experience of all kinds, vital and profound at its greatest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sessions/what-we-ask-of-music-first-and-last-is-that-it-communicate-experience/) Roger Sessions > [I want to get to experience all kinds of roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-campbell/i-want-to-get-to-experience-all-kinds-of-roles/) [Danielle Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-campbell/) > [I think what's fascinating is how many people are playing in politics who maybe haven't played before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-think-what-s-fascinating-is-how-many-people-are-playing-in-politics/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [ \[Edward Snowden and his team\] they're great characters. They're fascinating people. They were in an extraordinary situation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/edward-snowden-and-his-team-they-re-great-characters-they-re/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [We found what made countries so fascinating was the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-marsch/we-found-what-made-countries-so-fascinating-was-the-people/) [Jesse Marsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-marsch/) > [I do as much bookish research as I can but when I sit down to write, often I think, 'Wait, I was there.' That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-winchester/i-do-as-much-bookish-research-as-i-can-but-when-i-sit-down-to-write/) [Simon Winchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-winchester/) > [I meet fascinating people I respect and idolise all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/i-meet-fascinating-people-i-respect-and-idolise-all-the-time/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [“I'm prone to tangential digressions, but I've never regretted being remarkably inconsistent:it's led me to fascinating people and interesting stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-maclean/i-m-prone-to-tangential-digressions-but-i-ve-never-regretted-being/) Natalie MacLean > [Personally, I find the world of memorabilia fascinating: how people get so focused on one genre, music, or person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-linley/personally-i-find-the-world-of-memorabilia-fascinating-how-people-get/) [David Linley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-linley/) > [Actors just seemed like really fascinating people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-dynevor/actors-just-seemed-like-really-fascinating-people/) [Phoebe Dynevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-dynevor/) > [“There are no fascinating people, only their works are fascinating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/there-are-no-fascinating-people-only-their-works-are-fascinating/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [Rich people are so eccentric, and I don't think people really realize. Especially by the turn of the century, they were living like rappers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riki-lindhome/rich-people-are-so-eccentric-and-i-don-t-think-people-really-realize/) [Riki Lindhome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riki-lindhome/) > ['Downton Abbey' didn't have the impact it had just because it was a good story about people. It was something about that period and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/downton-abbey-didn-t-have-the-impact-it-had-just-because-it-was-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [When I began writing that I was able and did travel and met some fascinating people and also uncovered some history, which has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hailey/when-i-began-writing-that-i-was-able-and-did-travel-and-met-some/) [Arthur Hailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hailey/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“experience. 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