--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was stupid enough to think that we…" description: "\"I was stupid enough to think that we ought to speak the truth about each person eulogised, and to make this the foundation, and from these truths to ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/plato-103_beautiful_i-was-stupid-enough-to-think-that-we-oug_1745932.jpg" --- # I was stupid enough to think that we ought to speak the… ![“I was stupid enough to think that we ought to speak the truth about each person eulogised, and to make this the foundation, and from these truths to choose the most beautiful things and arrange them in the most elegant way; and I was quite proud to think how well I should speak, because I believed…” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/plato-103_beautiful_i-was-stupid-enough-to-think-that-we-oug_1745932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/plato-103_beautiful_i-was-stupid-enough-to-think-that-we-oug_1745932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/840/plato-103_beautiful_i-was-stupid-enough-to-think-that-we-oug_1745932.jpg) > “I was stupid enough to think that we ought to speak the truth about each person eulogised, and to make this the foundation, and from these truths to choose the most beautiful things and arrange them in the most elegant way; and I was quite proud to think how well I should speak, because I believed that I knew the truth.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker claims truth about each person is the basis for selecting beauty, yet admits this belief may be flawed. **In simple terms:** Truth about people is used to pick beauty, but the claim may be mistaken. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about truth and beauty. Themes philosophy truth beauty Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - personal relationships - art criticism - historical analysis Key Concepts epistemology aesthetics self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to truly know someone? - How do we distinguish truth from self‑delusion? A Different Perspective Truth claims can be biased by personal pride. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-things/) [Elegant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elegant/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Eulogised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eulogised-1073588/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [I was stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-was-stupid/) [Knew Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-truth/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-speak-1009676/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-believed-1561185/) [Speak the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-the-truth/) [Speak Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-truth/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“And I understood then that I was a fool when I told you I would take my turn in singing the honours of Love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/and-i-understood-then-that-i-was-a-fool-when-i-told-you-i-would-take/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I'm eulogised by a lot of men, but they wouldn't take me home to meet their mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shilpa-shetty/i-m-eulogised-by-a-lot-of-men-but-they-wouldn-t-take-me-home-to-meet/) [Shilpa Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shilpa-shetty/) > [I ought not to speak about the dead because the dead are all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-ought-not-to-speak-about-the-dead-because-the-dead-are-all-over-the/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [If there is any person to whom you feel a dislike, that is the person of whom you ought never to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/if-there-is-any-person-to-whom-you-feel-a-dislike-that-is-the-person/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [If there is a category of human being for whom his work ought to speak for itself, it is the writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/if-there-is-a-category-of-human-being-for-whom-his-work-ought-to/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Giving children the sense that you always ought to speak up for what's right, even if it costs you something, that's something you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/giving-children-the-sense-that-you-always-ought-to-speak-up-for-what/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [Back then it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/back-then-it-was-a-different-culture-it-was-very-loose-i-was-young-i/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [They were never my pack, not even Hot Pie and Gendry. I was stupid to think so, just a stupid little girl, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-were-never-my-pack-not-even-hot-pie-and-gendry-i-was-stupid-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just didn't see films when I was young. I was stupid and naïve. Maybe I wouldn't have made films if I had seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-just-didn-t-see-films-when-i-was-young-i-was-stupid-and-na-ve-maybe/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [At sixteen I was stupid, confused and indecisive. At twenty-five I was wise, self-confident, prepossessing and assertive. At forty-five I am stupid, confused, insecure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-feiffer/at-sixteen-i-was-stupid-confused-and-indecisive-at-twenty-five-i-was/) [Jules Feiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-feiffer/) > [I didn't see films when I was young. I was stupid and naïve. Maybe I wouldn't have made films if I had seen lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-didn-t-see-films-when-i-was-young-i-was-stupid-and-na-ve-maybe-i/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [I've never really wanted to go to Japan, simply because I don't like eating fish and I know that's very popular out there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-go-to-japan-simply-because-i-don-t-like/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [At the start, I had no idea to go into fashion, because I thought people would think I was stupid. I don't worry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/at-the-start-i-had-no-idea-to-go-into-fashion-because-i-thought/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [But my drive to win is so great ... I just step over that line. ... It's very embarrassing, ... one of the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/but-my-drive-to-win-is-so-great-i-just-step-over-that-line-it-s-very/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [In 1919 I woke up famous. I'd never guessed it. If I'd known I was famous, I'd have stolen away and wept. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-chanel/in-1919-i-woke-up-famous-i-d-never-guessed-it-if-i-d-known-i-was/) [Coco Chanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-chanel/) ## More by Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Being beautiful comes naturally!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-beautiful-comes-naturally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. 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There was something about jazz music that had a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/growing-up-in-iceland-it-was-very-beautiful-very-safe-but-quite/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Sometimes it's about less is more. It's about the seed. Thinking about this gigantic tree that you think is so beautiful but it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/sometimes-it-s-about-less-is-more-it-s-about-the-seed-thinking-about/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. 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