--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know lots of things we didn't use to…" description: "\"We know lots of things we didn't use to know but we don't know any way to prevent 'em from happening\" — Will Rogers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg" --- # We know lots of things we didn't use to know but we don't… ![“We know lots of things we didn't use to know but we don't know any way to prevent 'em from happening” quote by Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg) > “We know lots of things we didn't use to know but we don't know any way to prevent 'em from happening” [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge expands faster than our ability to prevent its consequences. **In simple terms:** We know more but can’t stop outcomes. Key Takeaway Develop foresight and mitigation. Themes knowledge uncertainty future planning Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical policy When to use this quote - policy making - education - technology development - public safety Key Concepts risk management technological ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we better anticipate unintended effects? - What safeguards are needed for new knowledge? A Different Perspective Predicting outcomes is inherently uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [ We have a lot of trans friends. We know lots of people who have been trying to \[model\]; we know a lot about it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/we-have-a-lot-of-trans-friends-we-know-lots-of-people-who-have-been/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I always worry that I'm a dilettante: I know something about lots of things but don't have exhaustive knowledge of much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-always-worry-that-i-m-a-dilettante-i-know-something-about-lots-of-2/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I wouldn't presume to know something, but I have lots to learn and that's what I attempt to do through my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wright/i-wouldn-t-presume-to-know-something-but-i-have-lots-to-learn-and/) [Joe Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wright/) > [If you are the boss it's wise to remember that there are lots of things you don't know and lots of people who hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/if-you-are-the-boss-it-s-wise-to-remember-that-there-are-lots-of/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [I always worry that I'm a dilettante: I know something about lots of things but don't have exhaustive knowledge of much. Take dance music:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-always-worry-that-i-m-a-dilettante-i-know-something-about-lots-of/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I know lots of people who are educated far beyond their intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/i-know-lots-of-people-who-are-educated-far-beyond-their-intelligence/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [We know there are lots of leaks everywhere. There's nothing we can do about that, except not leak ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/we-know-there-are-lots-of-leaks-everywhere-there-s-nothing-we-can-do/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [The reality is even if you are a hands-on Mayor or Governor or chief executive, at best, you must know about 10 or 20%…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/the-reality-is-even-if-you-are-a-hands-on-mayor-or-governor-or-chief/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [“I know lots of things you don't" "Name five." "The Grand Unification Theory, tax law, binary, the capital of Azerbailan, and how tractors work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-nayeri/i-know-lots-of-things-you-don-t-name-five-the-grand-unification/) [Daniel Nayeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-nayeri/) > [Philosophers ought to aspire to know lots of different things and to forge useful synthetic perspectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/philosophers-ought-to-aspire-to-know-lots-of-different-things-and-to/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [...You know something, don't you?" "I know lots of things--your inquiry needs to be more specific." "Just answer the question." "True/false or multiple choice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-know-something-don-t-you-i-know-lots-of-things-your-inquiry-needs/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [What matters is how I use what I know, every minute of every day; how I use it to remember, in the midst of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/what-matters-is-how-i-use-what-i-know-every-minute-of-every-day-how-i/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [You use to be my everything know your nothing to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia/you-use-to-be-my-everything-know-your-nothing-to-me/) [Virginia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia/) > [People should not say that this or that is not worth learning, giving as their reason that it will not be put to use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/people-should-not-say-that-this-or-that-is-not-worth-learning-giving/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [Our ignorance is not so vast as our failure to use what we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-king-hubbert/our-ignorance-is-not-so-vast-as-our-failure-to-use-what-we-know/) [M. King Hubbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-king-hubbert/) ## More by Will Rogers > [She was so ugly she could make a mule back away from an oat bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/she-was-so-ugly-she-could-make-a-mule-back-away-from-an-oat-bin/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Politicians, after all, are not over a year behind public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/politicians-after-all-are-not-over-a-year-behind-public-opinion/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [American invents everything, but the trouble is we get tired of it the minute the new is wore off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/american-invents-everything-but-the-trouble-is-we-get-tired-of-it-the/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't know what humor is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-know-what-humor-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There are two things I don't care how smart you are, you will never understand. One is an alienist's testimony, and the other is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-things-i-don-t-care-how-smart-you-are-you-will-never/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-more-you-observe-politics-the-more-you-ve-got-to-admit-that-each/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't think you can make a lawyer honest by an act of legislature. You've got to work on his conscience. And his lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-think-you-can-make-a-lawyer-honest-by-an-act-of-legislature/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-are-two-theories-to-arguing-with-a-woman-neither-works/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [America is a great country, but you can't live in it for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/america-is-a-great-country-but-you-can-t-live-in-it-for-nothing/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-ought-to-be-one-day-just-one-when-there-is-open-season-on/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Every Gag I tell must be based on truth. No matter how much I may exaggerate it, it must have a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/every-gag-i-tell-must-be-based-on-truth-no-matter-how-much-i-may/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/so-live-that-you-would-not-mind-selling-your-pet-parrot-to-the-town/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) [Explore all 776 Will Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More Ems quotes > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I don't write my own publicity materials, I just read 'em and give 'em the OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-don-t-write-my-own-publicity-materials-i-just-read-em-and-give-em/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-ve-always-said-about-50-of-what-happens-at-a-concert-has-to-do-with/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My mother knew how to read music and everything. But I just kinda learned off of records. And so, I was listening to records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/my-mother-knew-how-to-read-music-and-everything-but-i-just-kinda/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Those Aussie rugby fans are a bunch of sore losers. I hate 'em all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-wilkinson/those-aussie-rugby-fans-are-a-bunch-of-sore-losers-i-hate-em-all/) [Jonny Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-wilkinson/) > [This world o' God's is brighter Than we ever dream or know; Its burdens growin' lighter- An' it's Love that makes 'em so! An'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lebby-stanton/this-world-o-god-s-is-brighter-than-we-ever-dream-or-know-its-burdens/) [Frank Lebby Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lebby-stanton/) > [If you really serious ’bout helpin’ somebody, crawl down in the ditch with ’em, bandage up their wounds, and stick with ’em until they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denver-moore/if-you-really-serious-bout-helpin-somebody-crawl-down-in-the-ditch/) [Denver Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denver-moore/) > [All I kin git out o' the Wickersham position on prohibition is that the distinguished jurist seems to feel that if we'd let 'em…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/all-i-kin-git-out-o-the-wickersham-position-on-prohibition-is-that/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [Everyone thinks I'm a wimp and even my own band hates me. Oh, well. I guess I'll just flip 'em the bird!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-francis/everyone-thinks-i-m-a-wimp-and-even-my-own-band-hates-me-oh-well-i/) [Black Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-francis/) > [Guys are OK... shake their hand... Women are special. You can hug 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bon-scott/guys-are-ok-shake-their-hand-women-are-special-you-can-hug-em/) [Bon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bon-scott/) > [I am single, I don't drink. It's kind of hard to get a woman buzzed when you don't drink. You'll be like, "Yeah, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-am-single-i-don-t-drink-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-get-a-woman-buzzed/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Our immigration law sucks, and we need to redo the whole thing, comprehensive immigration reform. And what that's gonna be is anybody who wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/our-immigration-law-sucks-and-we-need-to-redo-the-whole-thing/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [My eyebrows make a more profound impact on other people than they do on me. I just let 'em grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gallagher/my-eyebrows-make-a-more-profound-impact-on-other-people-than-they-do/) [Peter Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gallagher/) Browse all 1,054 Ems quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We know lots of things we didn't use to know but we don't know any way to prevent 'em from happening", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Will Rogers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to-know-but-we-don-t-know-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ems" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to-know-but-we-don-t-know-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bd/will-rogers-272_ems_we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to_205578.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We know lots of things we didn't use to know but we don't know any way to prevent 'em from happening” — Will Rogers", "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": "Will Rogers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We know lots of things we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to-know-but-we-don-t-know-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-know-lots-of-things-we-didn-t-use-to-know-but-we-don-t-know-any/#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 } } ] } ```