--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know the word \"incompetent\" from my…" description: "\"“I know the word \"incompetent\" from my father. He uses it when there's something political on TV, or when he and Uncle Miki are quarreling about someth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/sa-a-stani-i-18570_incompetence_i-know-the-word-incompetent-from-my-fath_2461839.jpg" --- # I know the word "incompetent" from my father. He uses it… ![“I know the word "incompetent" from my father. He uses it when there's something political on TV, or when he and Uncle Miki are quarreling about something political they've seen on TV. Incompetence means doing something even though you haven't the faintest idea how to--like governing Yugoslavia…” quote by Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/sa-a-stani-i-18570_incompetence_i-know-the-word-incompetent-from-my-fath_2461839.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/sa-a-stani-i-18570_incompetence_i-know-the-word-incompetent-from-my-fath_2461839.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/sa-a-stani-i-18570_incompetence_i-know-the-word-incompetent-from-my-fath_2461839.jpg) > ““I know the word "incompetent" from my father. He uses it when there's something political on TV, or when he and Uncle Miki are quarreling about something political they've seen on TV. Incompetence means doing something even though you haven't the faintest idea how to--like governing Yugoslavia, for instance.”” [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calling someone incompetent without understanding the task leads to superficial judgment and political scapegoating. **In simple terms:** Labeling incompetence without knowledge is shallow. Key Takeaway Seek depth before judging competence. Themes political discourse judgment competence Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public debate - organizational leadership - educational assessment - family discussions Key Concepts critical analysis media literacy Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define true competence? - How can we discuss political failures constructively? A Different Perspective Complex issues may resist simple labeling, causing misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) [Incompetent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Obviously somebody had been appallingly incompetent and he hoped to God it wasn't him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/obviously-somebody-had-been-appallingly-incompetent-and-he-hoped-to/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The more skill it takes to accomplish a task, the more difficult it is to comprehend the knowledge needed to deal with it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/the-more-skill-it-takes-to-accomplish-a-task-the-more-difficult-it-is/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) > [“Those who are weakest often tend to blame others for their own incompetence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-geach/those-who-are-weakest-often-tend-to-blame-others-for-their-own/) Gabriella Geach > [Initial incompetence is not a reason to be dismissive of capabilities. Al Qaeda itself was incompetent when it started as a terrorist organization. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/initial-incompetence-is-not-a-reason-to-be-dismissive-of-capabilities/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [You should know how many incompetent men I had to compete with-in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inge-lehmann/you-should-know-how-many-incompetent-men-i-had-to-compete-with-in-vain/) Inge Lehmann > [Our government has become incompetent, unresponsive, corrupt. And that incompetence, ineptitude, lack of accountability is now dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/our-government-has-become-incompetent-unresponsive-corrupt-and-that/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/never-ascribe-to-malice-that-which-is-adequately-explained-by/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“For some authorities it isn't that they're evil - or even that they're incompetent - but rather they just don't care enough; and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/for-some-authorities-it-isn-t-that-they-re-evil-or-even-that-they-re/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Life, as I know it, is cataclysms and apocalypses. With each passing day I feel that much more incompetent even to trace gestures or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/life-as-i-know-it-is-cataclysms-and-apocalypses-with-each-passing-day/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“Here lies the separation of stupidity and incompetence. If you’re stupid, you just didn’t understand what happened and then make adjustments. 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I'd give objects the gift of defiance: banisters, gramaphones, guns, the napes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/if-only-i-were-a-magician-who-could-make-things-possible-i-d-give/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [“The dead are lonelier than the living ever can be. They can't hear each other through coffins and the earth…When I die I'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/the-dead-are-lonelier-than-the-living-ever-can-be-they-can-t-hear/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [I just feel much more secure about whatever I write if I stand with one foot in reality - meaning if the stories I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/i-just-feel-much-more-secure-about-whatever-i-write-if-i-stand-with/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [The reason for writing that essay was less a personal agenda than an attempt to explain my unease with the general label of "immigrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/the-reason-for-writing-that-essay-was-less-a-personal-agenda-than-an/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [Never too late to learn a language. And the good literature to come with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/never-too-late-to-learn-a-language-and-the-good-literature-to-come/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [“...someone ought to invent a tool, a kind of plane to shave the lies away from stories and deception away from memories. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/someone-ought-to-invent-a-tool-a-kind-of-plane-to-shave-the-lies-away/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [“If I were a magician who could make things possible, then pictures could talk while we painted them. If I were a magaician who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/if-i-were-a-magician-who-could-make-things-possible-then-pictures/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [For example, an author whose parents fled a war but he himself was born in the country where they fled to, and that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/for-example-an-author-whose-parents-fled-a-war-but-he-himself-was/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [Europe is not becoming more unified - well, yes, on paper - but not as long as the criteria for so many things (import…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/europe-is-not-becoming-more-unified-well-yes-on-paper-but-not-as-long/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [Something as radical as a war can only be understood (if at all) through the collaboration of journalists, academia, artists and, of course, people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/something-as-radical-as-a-war-can-only-be-understood-if-at-all/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [Given that the label "immigrant literature" is already established, unavoidable for anyone with a migrant background and used in any given context, I strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/given-that-the-label-immigrant-literature-is-already-established/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [“If I were a magician who could make things possible, I'd have lemonade always tasting as it did on the evening Francesco explained how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/if-i-were-a-magician-who-could-make-things-possible-i-d-have-lemonade/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [“The water can't turn back and choose another bed, just as promises now cannot be kept. No drowned man comes up again asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/the-water-can-t-turn-back-and-choose-another-bed-just-as-promises-now/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [By trying to give an artistic approach through my book I stepped unwillingly into other fields. Like a dentist being asked about a throat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/by-trying-to-give-an-artistic-approach-through-my-book-i-stepped/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [“...there's not enough of anything to go around except people and death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/there-s-not-enough-of-anything-to-go-around-except-people-and-death/) [Saša Stanišić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) [Explore all 34 Saša Stanišić quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) ## More Incompetence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [You are senile old fool, and because of your impudence, I cannot fathom how you still live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-senile-old-fool-and-because-of-your-impudence-i-cannot-fathom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [Where incompetence is prized, it is ever-present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/where-incompetence-is-prized-it-is-ever-present/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Sometimes history is just an excuse for incompetence at getting along with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-voinov/sometimes-history-is-just-an-excuse-for-incompetence-at-getting-along/) [Aleksandr Voinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-voinov/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) Michael Soussan > [The problem that we have is the President himself- a President who prides himself on his own weakness and incompetence and whose love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/femi-fani-kayode/the-problem-that-we-have-is-the-president-himself-a-president-who/) Femi Fani-Kayode > [Sometimes incompetence is useful. It helps you keep an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-cavalli/sometimes-incompetence-is-useful-it-helps-you-keep-an-open-mind/) [Roberto Cavalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-cavalli/) > [Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/everyone-rises-to-their-level-of-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Misgovernment is of four kinds, often in combination. They are: 1) tyranny or oppression, of which history provides so many well-known examples that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/misgovernment-is-of-four-kinds-often-in-combination-they-are-1/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Incompetence plus incompetence equals incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/incompetence-plus-incompetence-equals-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Obviously somebody had been appallingly incompetent and he hoped to God it wasn't him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/obviously-somebody-had-been-appallingly-incompetent-and-he-hoped-to/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [My mother is a big fan of precision, and tries her best to maintain it. Unfortunately, her own incompetence gets in the way. Dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-galloway/my-mother-is-a-big-fan-of-precision-and-tries-her-best-to-maintain-it/) [Gregory Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-galloway/) [Browse all 323 Incompetence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I know the word \"incompetent\" from my father. 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