--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always subscribed to an old Chinese…" description: "\"I've always subscribed to an old Chinese proverb that the palest ink is better than the best memory.\" — Vincent Bugliosi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg" --- # I've always subscribed to an old Chinese proverb that the… ![“I've always subscribed to an old Chinese proverb that the palest ink is better than the best memory.” quote by Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg) > “I've always subscribed to an old Chinese proverb that the palest ink is better than the best memory.” [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The proverb suggests that a brief written note is more reliable than relying on memory alone. **In simple terms:** Write things down; memory fails. Key Takeaway Document to remember. Themes memory writing reliability Mood practical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - studying - meeting notes - legal work Key Concepts cognitive bias information retention Questions to Reflect On - What important details could you be forgetting? - How does writing affect your recall? A Different Perspective Writing can be time‑consuming and may not capture nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-memories/) [Chinese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese/) [Chinese proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese-proverb/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) ## Related quotes > [The weakest ink is better than the best memory. Study with pen in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-weakest-ink-is-better-than-the-best-memory-study-with-pen-in-hand/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [“The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory” (Confucius).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-d-polchinski/the-palest-ink-is-better-than-the-most-retentive-memory-confucius/) Peter D. Polchinski > [The one who thinks over his experiences most, and weaves them into systematic relations with each other, will be the one with the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-one-who-thinks-over-his-experiences-most-and-weaves-them-into/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I grew up around the Luxembourg Gardens, so I guess that is my best memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-grew-up-around-the-luxembourg-gardens-so-i-guess-that-is-my-best/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [Of the five senses, smell is the one with the best memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mcclanahan/of-the-five-senses-smell-is-the-one-with-the-best-memory/) [Rebecca McClanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mcclanahan/) > [I'd say my best memory was climbing Mt. Fuji, and the worst memory was... trying to fit my feet into the free giveaway slippers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/i-d-say-my-best-memory-was-climbing-mt-fuji-and-the-worst-memory-was/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The palest ink will endure beyond the memories of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-twan-eng/the-palest-ink-will-endure-beyond-the-memories-of-man/) [Tan Twan Eng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-twan-eng/) > [Pale ink is better than the most retentive memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/pale-ink-is-better-than-the-most-retentive-memory/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Pale ink is better than the most retentive memory. If it's written down, you can look it up. Just be damn sure you write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/pale-ink-is-better-than-the-most-retentive-memory-if-it-s-written/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [I think my best memory was taking my baby sisters trick-or-treating for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-louderman/i-think-my-best-memory-was-taking-my-baby-sisters-trick-or-treating/) [Taylor Louderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-louderman/) > [“Was this their exact exchange? Almost certainly not. Still, it is my best memory of their exchange.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/was-this-their-exact-exchange-almost-certainly-not-still-it-is-my/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The best memory is not as good as pale ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-memory-is-not-as-good-as-pale-ink/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You are the best memory I ever had.. I can't forget the days we had.. Surely, I won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-the-best-memory-i-ever-had-i-can-t-forget-the-days-we-had/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best memory I have ever had , and all I want is to forget it ever happened !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayat/the-best-memory-i-have-ever-had-and-all-i-want-is-to-forget-it-ever/) [Hayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayat/) > [“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” - Chinese proverb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/i-hear-and-i-forget-i-see-and-i-remember-i-do-and-i-understand/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) ## More by Vincent Bugliosi > [One thing I have seen over and over again in life is that there is virtually no correlation between intelligence and common sense. IQ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/one-thing-i-have-seen-over-and-over-again-in-life-is-that-there-is/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [There's no immortality of the soul that you can infer from the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/there-s-no-immortality-of-the-soul-that-you-can-infer-from-the-bible/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [ I can assure the conspiracy theorists who have very effectively savaged \[Gerald\] Posner in their books that they're going to have a much, much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-can-assure-the-conspiracy-theorists-who-have-very-effectively/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [If it's a close election, then it's better for the Supreme Court to pick the president, whether or not he won the election. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/if-it-s-a-close-election-then-it-s-better-for-the-supreme-court-to/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [When your blood is found at the murder scene, that's the end of the ball game, there's nothing more to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/when-your-blood-is-found-at-the-murder-scene-that-s-the-end-of-the/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [The votes of 60,000 Floridians were not counted. The Court threw out all 60,00 votes. And that's what the newspapers around the country are counting now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/the-votes-of-60-000-floridians-were-not-counted-the-court-threw-out/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [If Christianity cannot present evidence that the soul is immortal, then they have nothing to offer the masses, eternity in heaven with God or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/if-christianity-cannot-present-evidence-that-the-soul-is-immortal/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [When books come out on religion today, what are they about, well, Noah's Ark or when we go to heaven, does our body or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/when-books-come-out-on-religion-today-what-are-they-about-well-noah-s/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [I don't like mansions. They depress me. In fact, I even feel sorry for a rich husband and wife living in a forty-room mansion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-don-t-like-mansions-they-depress-me-in-fact-i-even-feel-sorry-for-a/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [It's my view that any conservative who loves his country has to be extremely concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/it-s-my-view-that-any-conservative-who-loves-his-country-has-to-be/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [Within the pages of The Betrayal of America I prove that these justices were absolutely up to no good, and they deliberately set out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/within-the-pages-of-the-betrayal-of-america-i-prove-that-these/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [The discrepancy or contradiction is the entire story. And being the entire story, it by itself discredits the entire twenty-six volumes of the Warren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/the-discrepancy-or-contradiction-is-the-entire-story-and-being-the/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [The Florida Supreme Court wanted all the legal votes to be counted. The United States Supreme Court, on the other hand, did not want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/the-florida-supreme-court-wanted-all-the-legal-votes-to-be-counted/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [“Since we place so much value on human life, why do we glorify, in a perverse sort of way, the extinguishment of life? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/since-we-place-so-much-value-on-human-life-why-do-we-glorify-in-a/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [One of the people that wrote a forward to my book is Gerry Spence, whom I admire. Gerry is a friend of mine, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/one-of-the-people-that-wrote-a-forward-to-my-book-is-gerry-spence/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) [Explore all 78 Vincent Bugliosi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) ## More Best memories quotes > [“The very best memories of my life happened when I was broke, had nothing, was nobody. We came to the city and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-gardner/the-very-best-memories-of-my-life-happened-when-i-was-broke-had/) [M.L. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-gardner/) > [Don't despair if you are short of cash. Be creative. Looking back, you'll discover that the Christmases when you had the least money were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-despair-if-you-are-short-of-cash-be-creative-looking-back-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Childhood has best memories of whole life, which starts with happiness and ends with sadness..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahil-rathod/childhood-has-best-memories-of-whole-life-which-starts-with-happiness/) [Sahil Rathod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahil-rathod/) > [“As the years go by, it’s our relationships that will leave us the best memories to celebrate endlessly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-adamson/as-the-years-go-by-it-s-our-relationships-that-will-leave-us-the-best/) [Wes Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-adamson/) > [And last, my mom. I don’t think you know what you did. You had my brother when you were 18 years old. Three years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/and-last-my-mom-i-don-t-think-you-know-what-you-did-you-had-my/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [Mistake are sometime the best memories..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keren-zhims/mistake-are-sometime-the-best-memories/) [Keren Zhims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keren-zhims/) > [The best memories are mad of bad decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-memories-are-mad-of-bad-decisions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I knew I would hate my best memory because it would prove that people could fake love or that love could end or worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-simpson/i-knew-i-would-hate-my-best-memory-because-it-would-prove-that-people/) [Mona Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-simpson/) > [I have the best memories as a kid eating ice cream. It was a family tradition that I had with my father. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-strahan/i-have-the-best-memories-as-a-kid-eating-ice-cream-it-was-a-family/) [Michael Strahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-strahan/) > [Living in Sydney, I've taken the chance to start surfing again. One of my best memories of growing up is catching my first proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/living-in-sydney-i-ve-taken-the-chance-to-start-surfing-again-one-of/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [The weakest ink is better than the best memory. Study with pen in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-weakest-ink-is-better-than-the-best-memory-study-with-pen-in-hand/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [“Those are the best memories, you know. Memories of things that end when they should. Always remember.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-mason/those-are-the-best-memories-you-know-memories-of-things-that-end-when/) [Carol Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-mason/) > [My best memories growing up are of putting on musicals with my mom and dad, Both of them are real hams; it was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-ray-joel/my-best-memories-growing-up-are-of-putting-on-musicals-with-my-mom/) [Alexa Ray Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-ray-joel/) > [All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day. His family and I watch Matilda as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/all-that-i-can-cling-to-is-his-presence-inside-her-that-reveals/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [All the crazy shit I did tonight, Those'll be the best memories, I just wanna let it go for the night, That will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/all-the-crazy-shit-i-did-tonight-those-ll-be-the-best-memories-i-just/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) [Browse all 89 Best memories quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-memories/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always subscribed to an old Chinese proverb that the palest ink is better than the best memory.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vincent Bugliosi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese-proverb-that-the-palest-ink/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best memories" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese-proverb-that-the-palest-ink/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/vincent-bugliosi-8709_best-memories_i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese_1268522.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always subscribed to an old Chinese proverb that the palest ink is better than the best memory.” — Vincent Bugliosi", "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": "Vincent Bugliosi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always subscribed to an old...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese-proverb-that-the-palest-ink/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/i-ve-always-subscribed-to-an-old-chinese-proverb-that-the-palest-ink/#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 } } ] } ```