--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hadn't known there were so many idiots…" description: "\"I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet.\" — Stanislaw Lem" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg" --- # I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world… ![“I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet.” quote by Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg) > “I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet.” [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Internet reveals many foolish people worldwide. **In simple terms:** The web exposes widespread idiocy. Key Takeaway Stay critical of online content. Themes technology human behavior information overload Mood skeptical inquisitive Type observational advice When to use this quote - social media - forums - comment sections Key Concepts media studies psychology society Questions to Reflect On - How do you find reliable sources? - What strategies filter noise? A Different Perspective Not all internet users are foolish; many are knowledgeable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [...There are too many idiots in this world. And having said it, I have the burden of proving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/there-are-too-many-idiots-in-this-world-and-having-said-it-i-have-the/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/people-think-it-must-be-fun-to-be-a-super-genius-but-they-don-t/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“There are more idiots in the world than bright ones, but it’s the odd good one that makes a big difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/there-are-more-idiots-in-the-world-than-bright-ones-but-it-s-the-odd/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Idiots in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/obeymzzkirlene/idiots-in-the-world/) [ObeyMzzKirlene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/obeymzzkirlene/) > [“It's astonishing what a number of churches and idiots there are in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/it-s-astonishing-what-a-number-of-churches-and-idiots-there-are-in/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [God bless all the idiots in the world...if it wasn't for you I would not be employed in this emergency room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-hill/god-bless-all-the-idiots-in-the-world-if-it-wasn-t-for-you-i-would/) [NICOLE HILL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-hill/) > [“The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car. Up until then I was having a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-end-of-the-world-started-when-a-pegasus-landed-on-the-hood-of-my-3/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car. Up until then I was having a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-end-of-the-world-started-when-a-pegasus-landed-on-the-hood-of-my-2/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“If one were to rely solely on radiocarbon dating, the whole human world would seem to have started just over 40,000 years ago. Only”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-oppenheimer/if-one-were-to-rely-solely-on-radiocarbon-dating-the-whole-human/) [Stephen Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-oppenheimer/) > [The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-end-of-the-world-started-when-a-pegasus-landed-on-the-hood-of-my/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [No actor in the world started off at the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-ruah/no-actor-in-the-world-started-off-at-the-top/) [Daniela Ruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-ruah/) > [I can't really recall the first time I was noticed by a producer but the first time I was on television was doing Daytime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-shackelford/i-can-t-really-recall-the-first-time-i-was-noticed-by-a-producer-but/) [Ted Shackelford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-shackelford/) > [ It was really John's \[Musker\] idea to begin with to tell a story set in the world of the South Pacific, Polynesia. He started,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-clements/it-was-really-john-s-musker-idea-to-begin-with-to-tell-a-story-set-in/) [Ron Clements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-clements/) > [Getting married and then having children just centered me and grounded my values. It was like a whole new world. It started happening in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-richardson/getting-married-and-then-having-children-just-centered-me-and/) [Patricia Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-richardson/) > [“Please show tolerance with people. you see if there were no idiots in the world , How would you know you were sane?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gale/please-show-tolerance-with-people-you-see-if-there-were-no-idiots-in/) Dave Gale ## More by Stanislaw Lem > [That human existence should repeat itself, well and good, but that it should repeat itself like a hackneyed tune, or a record a drunkard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/that-human-existence-should-repeat-itself-well-and-good-but-that-it/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [“. . . according to Lem's Law, 'No one reads; if someone does read, he doesn't understand; if he understands, he immediately forgets' --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/according-to-lem-s-law-no-one-reads-if-someone-does-read-he-doesn-t/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [Futurologists have been multiplying like flies since the day Herman Kahn made Cassandra's profession "scientific," yet somehow not one of them has come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/futurologists-have-been-multiplying-like-flies-since-the-day-herman/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [When the Universe was not so out of whack as it is today, and all the stars were lined up in their proper places,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/when-the-universe-was-not-so-out-of-whack-as-it-is-today-and-all-the/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [Psychoanalytic doctrine reveals the pig in man, a pig saddled with a conscience; the disastrous result is that the pig is uncomfortable beneath that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/psychoanalytic-doctrine-reveals-the-pig-in-man-a-pig-saddled-with-a/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [In Riemann, Hilbert or in Banach space Let superscripts and subscripts go their ways. Our symptotes no longer out of phase, We shall encounter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/in-riemann-hilbert-or-in-banach-space-let-superscripts-and-subscripts/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [This is another lie. We are only seeking Man. We have no need of other worlds. A single world, our own, suffices us; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/this-is-another-lie-we-are-only-seeking-man-we-have-no-need-of-other/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [“Man does not create gods, in spite of appearances. The times, the age, impose them on him. (tr. by Joanna Kilmartin and Steve Cox)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/man-does-not-create-gods-in-spite-of-appearances-the-times-the-age/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [Cannibals prefer those who have no spines..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/cannibals-prefer-those-who-have-no-spines/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [Of the two powers, the two categories that take possession of us when we enter the world (from where?), space is by far the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/of-the-two-powers-the-two-categories-that-take-possession-of-us-when/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [“What was civilization ever, really, but the attempt by man to talk himself into being good? Only good mind you. The rest had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/what-was-civilization-ever-really-but-the-attempt-by-man-to-talk/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [He who has had, has been, but he who hasn't been, has been had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/he-who-has-had-has-been-but-he-who-hasn-t-been-has-been-had/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [“We know, but cannot grasp, that above and below, beyond the limits of perception or imagination, thousands of millions of simultaneous transformations are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/we-know-but-cannot-grasp-that-above-and-below-beyond-the-limits-of/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [Man does not create gods, in spite of appearances. The times, the age, impose them on him. Man can serve his age or rebel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/man-does-not-create-gods-in-spite-of-appearances-the-times-the-age-2/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [People make filthy things with the freedom they regained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/people-make-filthy-things-with-the-freedom-they-regained/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) [Explore all 89 Stanislaw Lem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) ## More Idiot quotes > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [Thirty guys equals five percent die-off among active wingsuit base jumpers. That means there's a flaw in our system and you're an idiot if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/thirty-guys-equals-five-percent-die-off-among-active-wingsuit-base/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [You have to be an idiot to run out of gas…I just did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-burke/you-have-to-be-an-idiot-to-run-out-of-gas-i-just-did/) [Brooke Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-burke/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“But no idiot-proofing can overcome a determined idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-weir/but-no-idiot-proofing-can-overcome-a-determined-idiot/) [Andy Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-weir/) > [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [“He came for me. I couldn’t believe it. He came for me . Into a flying palace full of thousands of armed rakshasas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-came-for-me-i-couldn-t-believe-it-he-came-for-me-into-a-flying/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [Without sounding like a right idiot, my mum and my dad are my role models. They devoted everything to my sister and me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/without-sounding-like-a-right-idiot-my-mum-and-my-dad-are-my-role/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [“The woman may be a biomedical engineer, but I begin to think that she is a certifiable idiot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/the-woman-may-be-a-biomedical-engineer-but-i-begin-to-think-that-she/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [“Knowledge cannot replace friendship. I'd rather be an idiot than lose you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-to-spongebob/knowledge-cannot-replace-friendship-i-d-rather-be-an-idiot-than-lose/) Patrick to Spongebob > [Solemnity is the shield of idiots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/solemnity-is-the-shield-of-idiots/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’ve noticed that you are retarded, Dr. Phil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/i-ve-noticed-that-you-are-retarded-dr-phil/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) > [“You heard what she said, idiot. She’s not dating, especially not a man her uptight daddy can’t stand the sight of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/codi-gary/you-heard-what-she-said-idiot-she-s-not-dating-especially-not-a-man/) [Codi Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/codi-gary/) [Browse all 2,115 Idiot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stanislaw Lem" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots-in-the-world-until-i-started/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Idiot" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots-in-the-world-until-i-started/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/stanislaw-lem-7367_idiot_i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots_1525142.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I hadn't known there were so many idiots in the world until I started using the Internet.” — Stanislaw Lem", "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": "Stanislaw Lem", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I hadn't known there were so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots-in-the-world-until-i-started/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/i-hadn-t-known-there-were-so-many-idiots-in-the-world-until-i-started/#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 } } ] } ```