--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm afraid men are not always quite as…" description: "\"“I'm afraid men are not always quite as clever as they think they are. You will learn that when you get a bit older, my girl.”\" — Roald Dahl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/roald-dahl-899_afraid_i-m-afraid-men-are-not-always-quite-as-c_2714781.jpg" --- # I'm afraid men are not always quite as clever as they… ![“I'm afraid men are not always quite as clever as they think they are. You will learn that when you get a bit older, my girl.” quote by Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/roald-dahl-899_afraid_i-m-afraid-men-are-not-always-quite-as-c_2714781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/roald-dahl-899_afraid_i-m-afraid-men-are-not-always-quite-as-c_2714781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/roald-dahl-899_afraid_i-m-afraid-men-are-not-always-quite-as-c_2714781.jpg) > ““I'm afraid men are not always quite as clever as they think they are. You will learn that when you get a bit older, my girl.”” [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A warning that overconfidence can be a blind spot; experience will reveal one’s limits. **In simple terms:** Overconfidence leads to learning later. Key Takeaway Stay humble and keep learning. Themes humility learning growth experience Mood reflective playful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - education - parenting Key Concepts overconfidence self‑awareness life lessons Questions to Reflect On - What areas of your life might benefit from more humility? - How do you recognize when you’re overestimating yourself? A Different Perspective Confidence is useful; too much can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [When I was One, I had just begun. When I was Two, I was nearly new. When I was Three I was hardly me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-one-i-had-just-begun-when-i-was-two-i-was-nearly-new-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We shall live with what is, and hope that one of us is clever enough to think of something better. What else can we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-haeger/we-shall-live-with-what-is-and-hope-that-one-of-us-is-clever-enough/) [Diane Haeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-haeger/) > [The point of doing TV is not to prove how clever you are, but to make other people realise how clever they are; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/the-point-of-doing-tv-is-not-to-prove-how-clever-you-are-but-to-make/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [“We humans have been brilliantly clever... almost as clever as we think we are, though not, perhaps, as wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/we-humans-have-been-brilliantly-clever-almost-as-clever-as-we-think/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [But now I am six. And I'm clever as clever. And now I think I'll stay six now forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-milne/but-now-i-am-six-and-i-m-clever-as-clever-and-now-i-think-i-ll-stay/) [A. A. Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-milne/) > [“Be Clever, Think Clever and Do Clever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-james/be-clever-think-clever-and-do-clever/) Robin James > [We're as clever as we think we are, but we'll be a lot cleverer when we learn to use not just one brain but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-re-as-clever-as-we-think-we-are-but-we-ll-be-a-lot-cleverer-when/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [I find it difficult to be afraid of men, not to disrespect them, but simply because they are human beings not God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/i-find-it-difficult-to-be-afraid-of-men-not-to-disrespect-them-but/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [All heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, all hell terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/all-heaven-is-interested-in-the-cross-of-christ-all-hell-terribly/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [In our civilization, men are afraid that they will not be men enough and women are afraid that they may be considered only women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-our-civilization-men-are-afraid-that-they-will-not-be-men-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men are the thing to be afraid of, always, men and nothing else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/men-are-the-thing-to-be-afraid-of-always-men-and-nothing-else/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [I was eighteen, this was back in '46, so we also had these very frightening images of soldiers in the streets of Paris. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-was-eighteen-this-was-back-in-46-so-we-also-had-these-very/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [I am afraid of him, of all men who are successful in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/i-am-afraid-of-him-of-all-men-who-are-successful-in-love/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“But why give a man something it's so hard to earn? In that respect women are really thick. They're the daughters of rigidity. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/but-why-give-a-man-something-it-s-so-hard-to-earn-in-that-respect/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [Women aren't physically afraid of men; women are genetically afraid of men. It's happened for such a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-myles/women-aren-t-physically-afraid-of-men-women-are-genetically-afraid-of/) [Eileen Myles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-myles/) ## More by Roald Dahl > [Nowadays you can go anywhere in the world in a few hours, and nothing is fabulous any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/nowadays-you-can-go-anywhere-in-the-world-in-a-few-hours-and-nothing/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [When I walked to school in the mornings I would start out alone but would pick up four other boys along the way. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-i-walked-to-school-in-the-mornings-i-would-start-out-alone-but/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“There's no earthly way of knowing Which direction we are going There's no knowing where we're rowing Or which way the river's flowing Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/there-s-no-earthly-way-of-knowing-which-direction-we-are-going-there/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“One of the vital things for a writer who’s writing a book, which is a lengthy project and is going to take about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/one-of-the-vital-things-for-a-writer-who-s-writing-a-book-which-is-a/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“When Bruce Bogtrotter had eaten his way through half of the entire enormous cake, he paused for just a couple of seconds and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-bruce-bogtrotter-had-eaten-his-way-through-half-of-the-entire/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Eschew all those beastly adjectives...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/eschew-all-those-beastly-adjectives/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Bunkum and tummyrot! You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that. Would Columbus have discovered America if he'd said 'What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/bunkum-and-tummyrot-you-ll-never-get-anywhere-if-you-go-about-what/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [If the Good Lord intended for us to walk, he wouldn't have invented rollar skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/if-the-good-lord-intended-for-us-to-walk-he-wouldn-t-have-invented/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [The witching hour, somebody had once whispered to her, was a special moment in the middle of the night when every child and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-witching-hour-somebody-had-once-whispered-to-her-was-a-special/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/those-who-don-t-believe-in-magic-will-never-find-it/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [But there was one other thing that the grown-ups also knew, and it was this: that however small the chance might be of striking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/but-there-was-one-other-thing-that-the-grown-ups-also-knew-and-it-was/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-writing-about-oneself-one-must-strive-to-be-truthful-truth-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“the world is a scary place for such a small child”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-world-is-a-scary-place-for-such-a-small-child/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [And above all, watch with glittering eyes the world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/and-above-all-watch-with-glittering-eyes-the-world-around-you-because/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“We must hurry!’ said Mr. Wonka. ‘We have so much time and so little to do! No! Wait! Strike that! Reverse it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/we-must-hurry-said-mr-wonka-we-have-so-much-time-and-so-little-to-do/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) [Explore all 318 Roald Dahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm afraid men are not always quite as clever as they think they are. 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