--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fools rush in, but they are laggards…" description: "\"“Fools rush in, but they are laggards compared to little old ladies with nothing left to fear.”\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg" --- # Fools rush in, but they are laggards compared to little… ![“Fools rush in, but they are laggards compared to little old ladies with nothing left to fear.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg) > ““Fools rush in, but they are laggards compared to little old ladies with nothing left to fear.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caution against underestimating the seemingly harmless; even the meek can be formidable when fear is absent. **In simple terms:** Do not dismiss the quiet or vulnerable. Key Takeaway Respect all, regardless of appearance. Themes caution humility strength fearlessness Mood wry insightful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - politics - workplace - personal relationships - community activism Key Concepts literature social dynamics psychology Questions to Reflect On - Who might you be overlooking? - How does fear shape power? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can still be dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) ## Related quotes > [Fools rush in where wise men fear to trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/fools-rush-in-where-wise-men-fear-to-trade/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Wise men say only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/wise-men-say-only-fools-rush-in-but-i-can-t-help-falling-in-love-with/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [“There is a certain solid use in fools. It is not so much that they rush in where angels fear to tread, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/there-is-a-certain-solid-use-in-fools-it-is-not-so-much-that-they/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [When fools rush in, rush out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jett/when-fools-rush-in-rush-out/) [Brian Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jett/) > [“We get some of our best results by letting fools Rush in where angels dear to tread”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/we-get-some-of-our-best-results-by-letting-fools-rush-in-where-angels/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Fools rush in, where wise men never go, But wise men never fall in love, so how are they to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mercer/fools-rush-in-where-wise-men-never-go-but-wise-men-never-fall-in-love/) [Johnny Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mercer/) > [“The laggards spend more on demand generation marketing, whereas the leaders spend more on branding, customer relationships, and infrastructure to support data-driven marketing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jeffery/the-laggards-spend-more-on-demand-generation-marketing-whereas-the/) [Mark Jeffery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jeffery/) > [The internet will create the winnerand bury the laggards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-internet-will-create-the-winnerand-bury-the-laggards/) [Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/) > [Fools rush in through the door; for folly is always bold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/fools-rush-in-through-the-door-for-folly-is-always-bold/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Nay, fly to altars; there they'll talk you dead; For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/nay-fly-to-altars-there-they-ll-talk-you-dead-for-fools-rush-in-where/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [My new movie, Fools Rush In, is a romantic comedy and the girl I play in that is very warm, very sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/my-new-movie-fools-rush-in-is-a-romantic-comedy-and-the-girl-i-play/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [Fools rush in where incumbents fear to tread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-ralph-augustine/fools-rush-in-where-incumbents-fear-to-tread/) [Norman Ralph Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-ralph-augustine/) > [Wise men say, only fools rush in. Wise men are so slow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-saget/wise-men-say-only-fools-rush-in-wise-men-are-so-slow/) [Bob Saget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-saget/) > [Fools rush in where fools have been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/fools-rush-in-where-fools-have-been-before/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/for-fools-rush-in-where-angels-fear-to-tread/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Fools quotes > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“What would have been the fate of sages if there were no fools?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/what-would-have-been-the-fate-of-sages-if-there-were-no-fools/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV > [“stultorum infnitus est numerus (the number of fools is infinite)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes/stultorum-infnitus-est-numerus-the-number-of-fools-is-infinite/) [Ecclesiastes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ecclesiastes/) > [Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/fools-learn-from-experience-i-prefer-to-learn-from-the-experience-of/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-wise-are-wise-only-because-they-love-the-fool-are-fools-only/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The magi, as you know, were wise men — wonderfully wise men — who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-magi-as-you-know-were-wise-men-wonderfully-wise-men-who-brought/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“that's what i mean about cats. they're always trying to make fools of us humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-jackson-braun/that-s-what-i-mean-about-cats-they-re-always-trying-to-make-fools-of/) [Lilian Jackson Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-jackson-braun/) > [“I wish one half the world were not fools, and the other half idiots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-fern/i-wish-one-half-the-world-were-not-fools-and-the-other-half-idiots/) [Fanny Fern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-fern/) > [“What name do you use then, for two people who help each other?” “Why are they helping each other?” “Simply to be kind, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/what-name-do-you-use-then-for-two-people-who-help-each-other-why-are/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Today is April Fools Day. Believe nothing, and trust no one...So it's like any other day. Right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-is-april-fools-day-believe-nothing-and-trust-no-one-so-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,204 Fools quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Fools rush in, but they are laggards compared to little old ladies with nothing left to fear.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-compared-to-little-old-ladies/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fools" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-compared-to-little-old-ladies/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae3/terry-pratchett-19_quote_fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-comp_1284307.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fools rush in, but they are laggards compared to little old ladies with nothing left to fear.” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Fools rush in, but they are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-compared-to-little-old-ladies/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/fools-rush-in-but-they-are-laggards-compared-to-little-old-ladies/#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 } } ] } ```