--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Serious things cannot be understood…" description: "\"Serious things cannot be understood without laughable things, nor opposites at all without opposites.\" — Plato" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/plato-103_comedy_serious-things-cannot-be-understood-with_2778415.jpg" --- # Serious things cannot be understood without laughable… ![“Serious things cannot be understood without laughable things, nor opposites at all without opposites.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/plato-103_comedy_serious-things-cannot-be-understood-with_2778415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/plato-103_comedy_serious-things-cannot-be-understood-with_2778415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/plato-103_comedy_serious-things-cannot-be-understood-with_2778415.jpg) > “Serious things cannot be understood without laughable things, nor opposites at all without opposites.” [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. Understanding serious matters requires humor; opposites need their counterparts. **In simple terms:** Serious and funny together help comprehension. Key Takeaway Balance seriousness with humor. Themes philosophy humor duality Mood contemplative playful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - debate - creative thinking Key Concepts dialectic paradox Questions to Reflect On - Can humor deepen understanding of serious topics? - How do opposites shape each other? A Different Perspective Humor may trivialize serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Laughable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughable/) [Laughable Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughable-things-3089319/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Opposites Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites-opposites-3291310/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-things/) [Things Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-opposites-3291309/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Understood Laughable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood-laughable-3291311/) ## Related quotes > [Most schemes of political improvement are very laughable things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/most-schemes-of-political-improvement-are-very-laughable-things/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Are not all things which have opposites generated out of their opposites?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/are-not-all-things-which-have-opposites-generated-out-of-their/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Respect is a serious thing in him who feels it, and the height of honor for him who inspires the feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/respect-is-a-serious-thing-in-him-who-feels-it-and-the-height-of/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is-it-you-better-take-it-at-its/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I get some very fierce anonymous letters about the Athanasian Creed, which would amuse you, if they were not so sad as to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-parry-liddon/i-get-some-very-fierce-anonymous-letters-about-the-athanasian-creed/) [Henry Parry Liddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-parry-liddon/) > [That's the Irish all over -- they treat a joke as a serious thing and a serious thing as a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/that-s-the-irish-all-over-they-treat-a-joke-as-a-serious-thing-and-a/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [Collaborating with the musical genius of our time in some ways with Prince himself - late, great Gerald Levert,all these are forms of singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/collaborating-with-the-musical-genius-of-our-time-in-some-ways-with/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Great use they have, when in the hands Of one like me, who understands, Who understands the time and place, The person, manner, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/great-use-they-have-when-in-the-hands-of-one-like-me-who-understands/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [Pythagoras asks that we not let a friend go lightly, for whatever reason. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/when-you-come-to-america-it-s-a-very-serious-thing-it-s-not-like-you/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [ If Boris \[Johnson\] backtracks on serious things there'll be another bloody revolt. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/if-boris-johnson-backtracks-on-serious-things-there-ll-be-another/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) ## 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 Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. 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