---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are very few intellectual elites…"
description: "\"“There are very few intellectual elites and those who think they are, are merely not and those who are not shows us the intellectual power of human min..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg"
---

#  There are very few intellectual elites and those who think…

![“There are very few intellectual elites and those who think they are, are merely not and those who are not shows us the intellectual power of human mind.” quote by Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg)

> ““There are very few intellectual elites and those who think they are, are merely not and those who are not shows us the intellectual power of human mind. ””

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

## 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 that true intellectual elite status is rare, and self‑perceived elites often lack genuine insight, highlighting the collective cognitive potential of humanity.

**In simple terms:** True intellect is scarce; many overestimate it.

Key Takeaway

Humility reveals collective intelligence.

Themes

humility intellectual honesty collective potential self‑deception elitism

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

aphorism observation

When to use this quote

- academic circles
- corporate leadership
- public discourse
- media commentary

Key Concepts

cognitive bias social perception human cognition

Practical Applications

- leadership development
- educational curricula

Questions to Reflect On

- How does self‑perception affect one's ability to learn?
- What structures can nurture genuine intellectual growth?

A Different Perspective

Some argue that expertise can be objectively measured, challenging the notion that most self‑identified elites lack true insight.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [I think there are different kinds of elites. I think there are venal elites, and self-interested elites, and selfish elites, and I think there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-think-there-are-different-kinds-of-elites-i-think-there-are-venal/)

[Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/)

> [One of the difficulties in getting to the bottom of the poor prospects for retirement is that the policy and intellectual elites, including corporate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedrick-smith/one-of-the-difficulties-in-getting-to-the-bottom-of-the-poor/)

[Hedrick Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedrick-smith/)

> [To be infatuated with the power of one's own intellect is an accident which seldom happens but to those who are remarkable for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/to-be-infatuated-with-the-power-of-one-s-own-intellect-is-an-accident/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [The intellectual power is never at rest; it is never satisfied with any comprehended truth, but ever proceeds on and on towards that truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/the-intellectual-power-is-never-at-rest-it-is-never-satisfied-with/)

[Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/)

> [The flowering of human society depends on two factors: the intellectual power of outstanding men to conceive sound social and economic theories, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-flowering-of-human-society-depends-on-two-factors-the/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [It is not true that a man's intellectual power is, like the strength of a timber beam, to be measured by its weakest point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/it-is-not-true-that-a-man-s-intellectual-power-is-like-the-strength/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [It is the nature of intellect to strive to improve in intellectual power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/it-is-the-nature-of-intellect-to-strive-to-improve-in-intellectual/)

[Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/)

> [Besides the general infusion of wit to heighten civility, the direct splendor of intellectual power is ever welcome in fine society, as the costliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/besides-the-general-infusion-of-wit-to-heighten-civility-the-direct/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [We do not need more intellectual power, we need more spiritual power. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/we-do-not-need-more-intellectual-power-we-need-more-spiritual-power/)

[Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/)

> [“We do not need more intellectual power; we need more moral power. We do not need more knowledge; we need more character. We do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/we-do-not-need-more-intellectual-power-we-need-more-moral-power-we-do/)

[Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/)

> [The intellectual power, through words and things, Went sounding on a dim and perilous way!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-intellectual-power-through-words-and-things-went-sounding-on-a/)

[William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/)

> [The intellectual power, honesty, lucidity, courage, and disinterested love of the truth of the most gifted thinkers of the eighteenth century remain to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-berlin/the-intellectual-power-honesty-lucidity-courage-and-disinterested/)

[Isaiah Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-berlin/)

> [A new degree of intellectual power seems cheap at any price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-new-degree-of-intellectual-power-seems-cheap-at-any-price/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [“There are many kinds of powers in the world — military power, power of the written word, intellectual power. We’ve tried and failed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/there-are-many-kinds-of-powers-in-the-world-military-power-power-of/)

[Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/)

> [In Shankaracharya we saw tremendous intellectual power, throwing the scorching light of reason upon everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/in-shankaracharya-we-saw-tremendous-intellectual-power-throwing-the/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

## More by Santosh Kalwar

> [“The person who can learn by observation can create his own culture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/the-person-who-can-learn-by-observation-can-create-his-own-culture/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“The secret of happiness is freedom but to be totally free you need to earn: courage, persistence and boldness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/the-secret-of-happiness-is-freedom-but-to-be-totally-free-you-need-to/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“We are the result of our mere actions. What we do, we become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/we-are-the-result-of-our-mere-actions-what-we-do-we-become/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Nothing waits, every thing Sets, every body is Set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/nothing-waits-every-thing-sets-every-body-is-set/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“The problem is that rich are getting richer by not giving and poor and getting poorer by not receiving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/the-problem-is-that-rich-are-getting-richer-by-not-giving-and-poor/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“It is almost laughable to ponder upon where it all started and nearly grim and shameful when we realise as humans that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/it-is-almost-laughable-to-ponder-upon-where-it-all-started-and-nearly/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Life is an experiment in which you may fail or succeed. Explore more, expect least.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/life-is-an-experiment-in-which-you-may-fail-or-succeed-explore-more/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“We humans do thousand and one thing to impress others and show to the world that we are smart and wise but we tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/we-humans-do-thousand-and-one-thing-to-impress-others-and-show-to-the/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Every day and every night, I dance with Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad &amp; all personal Gods: Krishna, Shiva &amp; Buddha. You are welcome too !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/every-day-and-every-night-i-dance-with-jesus-christ-prophet-mohammad/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [Always be like a water. Float in the times of pain or dance like waves along the wind which touches its surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/always-be-like-a-water-float-in-the-times-of-pain-or-dance-like-waves/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Not every love comes to a successful conclusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/not-every-love-comes-to-a-successful-conclusion/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“Love can cause problem and love can heal humanly problems based on our virtue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/love-can-cause-problem-and-love-can-heal-humanly-problems-based-on/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“If you want to be a true citizen then, be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/if-you-want-to-be-a-true-citizen-then-be/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“You are moving on the chariot of your desire whatever you are thinking is always right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/you-are-moving-on-the-chariot-of-your-desire-whatever-you-are/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“It does not matter what you write in English nobody has understood it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/it-does-not-matter-what-you-write-in-english-nobody-has-understood-it/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

[Explore all 381 Santosh Kalwar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

## More Human mind quotes

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Dogma is a powerful way of closing human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marley/dogma-is-a-powerful-way-of-closing-human-mind/)

[Peter Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marley/)

> [“The more that the human mind is enlightened, the more desirous it becomes of farther acquisitions in knowledge. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-stewart/the-more-that-the-human-mind-is-enlightened-the-more-desirous-it/)

Alexander Stewart

> [“But I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Whatever the Party holds to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/but-i-tell-you-winston-that-reality-is-not-external-reality-exists-in/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [ It is certain that every class is interested in \[educational\] establishments which give to the human mind its highest improvements, and to every Country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-certain-that-every-class-is-interested-in-educational/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Just take one thing out and the whole palace, the whole edifice of the human mind collapses. Take effort out of it and desiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/just-take-one-thing-out-and-the-whole-palace-the-whole-edifice-of-the/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Freedom is the very essence of our economy and society. Without freedom the human mind is prevented from unleashing its creative force. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/freedom-is-the-very-essence-of-our-economy-and-society-without/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [Charity is the filthiest invention of the human mind: first you steal what belongs to everyone; then you use the law and various other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-g-krishnamurti/charity-is-the-filthiest-invention-of-the-human-mind-first-you-steal/)

[U.G. Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-g-krishnamurti/)

> [“artificial intelligence is forcing human endeavor away from simple, algorithmic and repetitive tasks towards solving problems and incubating new ideas. It is the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyan-nagpal/artificial-intelligence-is-forcing-human-endeavor-away-from-simple/)

[Gyan Nagpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyan-nagpal/)

> [“Story is one of the foundation stones of the human mind along with rhythm and chant. If a collection of facts lacks a narrative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vehafric/story-is-one-of-the-foundation-stones-of-the-human-mind-along-with/)

Frank Vehafric

> [“A sense of security, a feeling that a truce was established between the present hour and the irresistible, disastrous future imparted to me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-shelley/a-sense-of-security-a-feeling-that-a-truce-was-established-between/)

[Mary Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-shelley/)

> [What makes us human is not our mind but our heart, not our ability to think but our ability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-makes-us-human-is-not-our-mind-but-our-heart-not-our-ability-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [This is one of the glories of man, the inventiveness of the human mind and the human spirit: whenever life doesn't seem to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/this-is-one-of-the-glories-of-man-the-inventiveness-of-the-human-mind/)

[Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/)

> [Books represent the accumulated workings of the human mind, the endless treasures of man's thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/books-represent-the-accumulated-workings-of-the-human-mind-the/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

[Browse all 1,417 Human mind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There are very few intellectual elites and those who think they are, are merely not and those who are not shows us the intellectual power of human mind. ”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Santosh Kalwar"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-and-those-who-think-they-are/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Human mind"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-and-those-who-think-they-are/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da9/santosh-kalwar-748_human-mind_there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-a_34354.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are very few intellectual elites and those who think they are, are merely not and those who are not…” — Santosh Kalwar",
                "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": "Santosh Kalwar",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There are very few intellectual elites...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-and-those-who-think-they-are/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/there-are-very-few-intellectual-elites-and-those-who-think-they-are/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
