--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...Give your approval to all you cannot…" description: "\"“...Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Praise ignorance, for what man has not encountered he has not destroyed... ”\" — Wendell Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/wendell-berry-236_ignorance_give-your-approval-to-all-you-cannot-und_221752.jpg" --- # ...Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Praise… ![“...Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Praise ignorance, for what man has not encountered he has not destroyed...” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/wendell-berry-236_ignorance_give-your-approval-to-all-you-cannot-und_221752.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/wendell-berry-236_ignorance_give-your-approval-to-all-you-cannot-und_221752.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fa/wendell-berry-236_ignorance_give-your-approval-to-all-you-cannot-und_221752.jpg) > ““...Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Praise ignorance, for what man has not encountered he has not destroyed... ”” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages embracing mystery rather than demanding explanations, valuing humility over certainty. **In simple terms:** Accept what you cannot fully grasp. Key Takeaway Respect unknowns, avoid premature judgment. Themes humility knowledge mystery Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - environmental activism - interfaith dialogue - science communication Key Concepts epistemology ethical restraint Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance curiosity with acceptance? - When is it wise to seek understanding? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on uncertainty can hinder decisive action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) ## Related quotes > [Praise ignorance, for what man has not encountered he has not destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/praise-ignorance-for-what-man-has-not-encountered-he-has-not-destroyed/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Give your approval to all you cannot understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/give-your-approval-to-all-you-cannot-understand/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Your saying 'I do not understand you' is praise beyond my worth, and an insult you do not deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-saying-i-do-not-understand-you-is-praise-beyond-my-worth-and-an/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [“Your saying to me "I do not understand you", is praise beyond my worth, and an insult you do not deserve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/your-saying-to-me-i-do-not-understand-you-is-praise-beyond-my-worth/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [A man is arrogant in proportion to his ignorance. Man's natural tendency is to egotism. Man, in his infancy of knowledge, thinks that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/a-man-is-arrogant-in-proportion-to-his-ignorance-man-s-natural/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“Happily men don't realise how stupid they are, or half the world would commit suicide. Knowledge is a will-of-the-wisp, fluttering ever out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/happily-men-don-t-realise-how-stupid-they-are-or-half-the-world-would/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The great mass of people judge well of things, for they are in natural ignorance, which is man's true state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-great-mass-of-people-judge-well-of-things-for-they-are-in-natural/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/the-last-word-in-ignorance-is-the-man-who-says-of-an-animal-or-plant/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [“And he could not take the chance of putting his certain ignorance against this man's possible knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-he-could-not-take-the-chance-of-putting-his-certain-ignorance/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The curse of ignorance is that man without being good or evil is nevertheless satisfied with himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/the-curse-of-ignorance-is-that-man-without-being-good-or-evil-is/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/the-last-word-in-ignorance-is-the-man-who-says-of-an-animal-or-plant-2/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [I would rather have my ignorance than another man's knowledge, because I have so much of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-would-rather-have-my-ignorance-than-another-man-s-knowledge-because/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A dogmatic tone is generally inspired by abysmal ignorance. The man who knows nothing thinks he is informing others of something which he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-dogmatic-tone-is-generally-inspired-by-abysmal-ignorance-the-man/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [The acquisition of knowledge always involves the revelation of ignorance-almost is the revelation of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-acquisition-of-knowledge-always-involves-the-revelation-of/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The two families, sundered in the ruin of a friendship, were united again first in new friendship and then in mariage. My grandfather made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-two-families-sundered-in-the-ruin-of-a-friendship-were-united/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Ignorance quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“If knowledge does not liberate the self from the self, then ignorance is better than such knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakim-sanai/if-knowledge-does-not-liberate-the-self-from-the-self-then-ignorance/) [Hakim Sanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakim-sanai/) > [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/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Those who embrace prejudice doom themselves to live in ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-lintz-sr/those-who-embrace-prejudice-doom-themselves-to-live-in-ignorance/) John P Lintz Sr > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Sanity can take one of only two forms: that of ignorance, or denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-r-audette/sanity-can-take-one-of-only-two-forms-that-of-ignorance-or-denial/) [Derek R. Audette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-r-audette/) [Browse all 5,657 Ignorance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...Give your approval to all you cannot understand. 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