--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to be a fool than to be…" description: "\"It is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incong..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg" --- # It is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to… ![“It is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incongruities of life and take everything as it comes in a forlorn stupidity. Some people swallow the universe like a pill; they travel on through the…” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg) > “It is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incongruities of life and take everything as it comes in a forlorn stupidity. Some people swallow the universe like a pill; they travel on through the world, like smiling images pushed from behind. For God's sake give me the young man who has brains enough to make a fool of himself!” [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests embracing foolishness and expressive theory over silent conformity, valuing daring thought. **In simple terms:** Being a thoughtful fool is better than being dead or numb. Key Takeaway Choose bold ideas over silent acceptance. Themes creativity rebellion existentialism Mood provocative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - artistic expression - philosophical debate - personal growth - challenging norms Key Concepts foolishness theory authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be a "fool" in modern life? - When is reckless expression harmful? A Different Perspective It may romanticize foolishness without practical guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Forlorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forlorn/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Incongruity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incongruity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [It is better to be a fool than to be dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dead/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incongruities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-emit-a-scream-in-the-shape-of-a-theory-than-to-be/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Who was the Thief that she would love him? A youth, just a boy with hardly a beard and no sense at all... A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/who-was-the-thief-that-she-would-love-him-a-youth-just-a-boy-with/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [The fact is, we are much more afraid of life than our ancestors, and cannot find it inourhearts either tomarry or not tomarry.Marriage isterrifying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-fact-is-we-are-much-more-afraid-of-life-than-our-ancestors-and/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“He started to look back, but he knew better. That fool always got eaten in the movies. And Nick didn't want to be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/he-started-to-look-back-but-he-knew-better-that-fool-always-got-eaten/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In the end, this world will go under because of the stupidity of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/in-the-end-this-world-will-go-under-because-of-the-stupidity-of-people/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [I knew that was coming. That's another stupidity. The people who use the term don't even know the meaning. They use it to refer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-knew-that-was-coming-that-s-another-stupidity-the-people-who-use/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [The stupidity of people comes from having an answer for everything. The wisdom of the novel comes from having a question for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-stupidity-of-people-comes-from-having-an-answer-for-everything-3/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The true axis of evil in America is the brilliance of our marketing combined with the stupidity of our people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-true-axis-of-evil-in-america-is-the-brilliance-of-our-marketing/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Never underestimate the stupidity of people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wildbow/never-underestimate-the-stupidity-of-people/) wildbow > [“But then again, you could never underestimate the stupidity of some people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/but-then-again-you-could-never-underestimate-the-stupidity-of-some/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) > [“People are all born ignorant but they are not born stupid. Much of the stupidity we see today is induced by our educational system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/people-are-all-born-ignorant-but-they-are-not-born-stupid-much-of-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no greater stupidity than for people...to marry and so surrender themselves to the small miseries of domestic and private life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/there-is-no-greater-stupidity-than-for-people-to-marry-and-so/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [There is more to be said for stupidity than people imagine. Personally I have a great admiration for stupidity. It is a sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-is-more-to-be-said-for-stupidity-than-people-imagine-personally/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [You can make fun with Saddam Hussein jokes ... but you can't make fun of, say, the concentration camps. I think my target was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/you-can-make-fun-with-saddam-hussein-jokes-but-you-can-t-make-fun-of/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) ## More by Robert Louis Stevenson > [You must suffer me to go my own dark way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-must-suffer-me-to-go-my-own-dark-way/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Nobody speaks of a beautifful view for 5 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/nobody-speaks-of-a-beautifful-view-for-5-minutes/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find is an honest friend. He is a fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/we-are-all-travelers-in-the-wilderness-of-this-world-and-the-best/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The little rift between the sexes is astonishingly widened by simply teaching one set of catchwords to the girls and another to the boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-little-rift-between-the-sexes-is-astonishingly-widened-by-simply/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The problem of education is twofold: first to know, and then to utter. Everyone who lives any semblance of an inner life thinks more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-problem-of-education-is-twofold-first-to-know-and-then-to-utter/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“For thirty years," he said, "I've sailed the seas and seen good and bad, better and worse, fair weather and foul, provisions running out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/for-thirty-years-he-said-i-ve-sailed-the-seas-and-seen-good-and-bad/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like a thunder-cloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/mutiny-it-was-plain-hung-over-us-like-a-thunder-cloud/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Jealousy is the most radical primeval and naked form of admiration in war paint, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/jealousy-is-the-most-radical-primeval-and-naked-form-of-admiration-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [You have no idea, unless you have tried it, how endlessly long is a summer's day, that you measure out only by hunger, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-have-no-idea-unless-you-have-tried-it-how-endlessly-long-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/to-be-idle-requires-a-strong-sense-of-personal-identity/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/loving-god-help-us-remember-the-birth-of-jesus-that-we-may-share-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The friendly cow, all red and white, I love with all my heart; She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-friendly-cow-all-red-and-white-i-love-with-all-my-heart-she-gives/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) [Explore all 701 Robert Louis Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incongruities of life and take everything as it comes in a forlorn stupidity. Some people swallow the universe like a pill; they travel on through the world, like smiling images pushed from behind. For God's sake give me the young man who has brains enough to make a fool of himself!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Louis Stevenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dead-it-is-better-to-emit-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dead-it-is-better-to-emit-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_behinds_it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dea_777954.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is better to be a fool than to be dead. It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be…” — Robert Louis Stevenson", "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": "Robert Louis Stevenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is better to be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dead-it-is-better-to-emit-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-be-a-fool-than-to-be-dead-it-is-better-to-emit-a/#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 } } ] } ```