--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to be wise, and not to seem…" description: "\"It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem wise, and not be so; yet men, for the most part, desire the contrary.\" — Plato" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg" --- # It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem… ![“It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem wise, and not be so; yet men, for the most part, desire the contrary.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg) > “It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem wise, and not be so; yet men, for the most part, desire the contrary.” [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. True wisdom is hidden; pretending to be wise is easier but less valuable. **In simple terms:** Real wisdom is hidden, not shown. Key Takeaway Seek genuine understanding over appearances. Themes wisdom authenticity perception Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - leadership - education - personal development Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - Do you value appearance over truth? - How can you demonstrate true wisdom? A Different Perspective People often value image over substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) [Better Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-wise-1238656/) [Contrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrary/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Contrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-contrary-533792/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-desire/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-men/) [Wise Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-wise/) ## Related quotes > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [If you eat three times a day, you become fat. 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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 Being wise quotes > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. 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Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) [Kimberley Strassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-strassel/) > [If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/if-we-are-going-to-be-wise-spiritual-people-prepared-to-meet-the/) [J.P. 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With this in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-almost-seems-as-though-this-roiling-world-is-conspiring-to-test/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) [Browse all 310 Being wise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem wise, and not be so; yet men, for the most part, desire the contrary.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem-so-than-to-seem-wise-and-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being wise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem-so-than-to-seem-wise-and-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/plato-103_being-wise_it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem_1380680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is better to be wise, and not to seem so, than to seem wise, and not be so; yet men, for the most part…” — Plato", "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": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is better to be wise,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem-so-than-to-seem-wise-and-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-better-to-be-wise-and-not-to-seem-so-than-to-seem-wise-and-not/#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 } } ] } ```