--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idiot is indeed the good man, but…" description: "\"“The idiot is indeed the good man, but only because he doesn't know any better.”\" — William Saroyan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg" --- # The idiot is indeed the good man, but only because he… ![“The idiot is indeed the good man, but only because he doesn't know any better.” quote by William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg) > ““The idiot is indeed the good man, but only because he doesn't know any better.”” [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that ignorance can appear virtuous because the ignorant person lacks awareness of moral complexities. **In simple terms:** Ignorance can seem good when one doesn't see the flaws. Key Takeaway Recognize that knowledge, not ignorance, defines goodness. Themes morality ignorance virtue Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - teaching - leadership - spiritual guidance Key Concepts Ethics human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does awareness change moral responsibility? - Can ignorance ever be truly harmless? A Different Perspective Being uninformed may lead to unintended harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“A healthy argument, even with an idiot, is always good; it opens one's eyes to own misunderstandings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-kallarakkal/a-healthy-argument-even-with-an-idiot-is-always-good-it-opens-one-s/) [Ashok Kallarakkal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-kallarakkal/) > [Sometimes, some of us in some things we do know better. When we know better, I think it's imperative that we do better. Otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-alexander-essbaum/sometimes-some-of-us-in-some-things-we-do-know-better-when-we-know/) [Jill Alexander Essbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-alexander-essbaum/) > [In the time of your life, live - so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/without-goodness-a-man-cannot-endure-adversity-for-long-nor-can-he/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Oh, but I was an idiot. Wanting to be whatever magic she waited for, when I had no magic - only darkness or death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krisi-keley/oh-but-i-was-an-idiot-wanting-to-be-whatever-magic-she-waited-for/) [Krisi Keley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krisi-keley/) > [The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind; but the odor of good people travels; even against the wind: a good man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/the-scent-of-flowers-does-not-travel-against-the-wind-but-the-odor-of/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [A good man will honor him who lives up to his religious profession, whatever it be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/a-good-man-will-honor-him-who-lives-up-to-his-religious-profession/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [Heaven prepares good men with crosses; but no ill can happen to a good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/heaven-prepares-good-men-with-crosses-but-no-ill-can-happen-to-a-good/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [A good man, through obscurest aspirations Has still an instinct of the one true way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/a-good-man-through-obscurest-aspirations-has-still-an-instinct-of-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“We're all in the dark. We try to find out, but can you imagine anything more ludicrous than one person's opinion of another person?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/we-re-all-in-the-dark-we-try-to-find-out-but-can-you-imagine-anything/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“America doesn't know today how proud she ought to be of her Ingersoll .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/america-doesn-t-know-today-how-proud-she-ought-to-be-of-her-ingersoll/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“The old nut goes, 'Write what you know,' but often a writer is clearer about what he doesn't know and must learn about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-bell/the-old-nut-goes-write-what-you-know-but-often-a-writer-is-clearer/) [Susan Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-bell/) > [It is a tragedy of the world that no one knows what he doesn't know - the less a man knows, the more sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/it-is-a-tragedy-of-the-world-that-no-one-knows-what-he-doesn-t-know/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [“You understand how much you know about a subject the moment you give explanations to someone who doesn't know anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigina-sgarro/you-understand-how-much-you-know-about-a-subject-the-moment-you-give/) [Luigina Sgarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigina-sgarro/) ## More by William Saroyan > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [The basic truth of all things, as nearly as we may ever dream of determining and knowing this truth, is form, that which is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-basic-truth-of-all-things-as-nearly-as-we-may-ever-dream-of/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“This is a hell of a night. I don't want to leave it just to go to sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/this-is-a-hell-of-a-night-i-don-t-want-to-leave-it-just-to-go-to-sleep/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Americans still believe they are cut out to be successful-in everything: love, love-making, luck, luck-giving, money-making, sense-making, cancer-avoiding, clothes-wearing, car-driving, and so on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/americans-still-believe-they-are-cut-out-to-be-successful-in/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [I can't decide for you whether or not you have got to write, but if anything in the world, war, or pestilence, or famine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-can-t-decide-for-you-whether-or-not-you-have-got-to-write-but-if/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [He paints for the blind, and we are the blind, and he lets us see for sure what we saw long ago but weren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/he-paints-for-the-blind-and-we-are-the-blind-and-he-lets-us-see-for/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [I am interested in madness. I believe it is the biggest thing in the human race, and the most constant. How do you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-am-interested-in-madness-i-believe-it-is-the-biggest-thing-in-the/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Two years ago your father died, Ulysses. But as long as we are alive, as long as we are together, as long as two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/two-years-ago-your-father-died-ulysses-but-as-long-as-we-are-alive-as/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Cowards are nice, they're interesting, they're gentle, they wouldn't think of shooting down people in a parade from a tower. They want to live,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/cowards-are-nice-they-re-interesting-they-re-gentle-they-wouldn-t/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [In the time of your life, live - so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [San Francisco is a world to explore. It is a place where the heart can go on a delightful adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/san-francisco-is-a-world-to-explore-it-is-a-place-where-the-heart-can/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Even after you've won fame and fortune, every time you write you've got to write, there's no shortcut, you have to start your career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/even-after-you-ve-won-fame-and-fortune-every-time-you-write-you-ve/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose history is ended, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-should-like-to-see-any-power-of-the-world-destroy-this-race-this/) [WILLIAM SAROYAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [There could be no extreme vanity in my recognition of myself, if in fact there could be any at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/there-could-be-no-extreme-vanity-in-my-recognition-of-myself-if-in/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“This sense of being out of time has driven thousands of people from their homes into moving-picture theaters where new universes appear before them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/this-sense-of-being-out-of-time-has-driven-thousands-of-people-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) [Explore all 207 William Saroyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) ## More Good man quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Good manners are not bred in moments, but in years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/good-manners-are-not-bred-in-moments-but-in-years/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-life-of-a-good-man-was-a-continual-warfare-with-his-passions/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-put-no-stock-in-religion-by-the-word-religion-i-have-seen-the/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [To follow good manners willingly is like paving the road and to tell somebody to follow them is like the road which is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-follow-good-manners-willingly-is-like-paving-the-road-and-to-tell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“It is said that the hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only ever rude intentionally. Arthur Bryant was no gentleman. His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [I'm a good man with a good heart had a tough time, got a rough start But I finally learned to let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-a-good-man-with-a-good-heart-had-a-tough-time-got-a-rough-start/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [ I've often thought about that and the only suitable member to join me on that climb \[to Everest\] was George Lowe: he was strong,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-hillary/i-ve-often-thought-about-that-and-the-only-suitable-member-to-join-me/) [Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-hillary/) > [Of course, when you play football yourself you can think you want to become a manager but it does not make you a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/of-course-when-you-play-football-yourself-you-can-think-you-want-to/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [“Falsehood of a good man is better than truth of a bad one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/falsehood-of-a-good-man-is-better-than-truth-of-a-bad-one/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Atticus adjusted his glasses as he peered down at the blanket. “Hey, is that the book Nellie told us about?” Jake’s eyes flicked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/atticus-adjusted-his-glasses-as-he-peered-down-at-the-blanket-hey-is/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) [Browse all 2,081 Good man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The idiot is indeed the good man, but only because he doesn't know any better.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Saroyan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-only-because-he-doesn-t-know-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-only-because-he-doesn-t-know-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a94/william-saroyan-1743_good-man_the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-onl_1115479.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The idiot is indeed the good man, but only because he doesn't know any better.” — William Saroyan", "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": "William Saroyan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The idiot is indeed the good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-only-because-he-doesn-t-know-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-idiot-is-indeed-the-good-man-but-only-because-he-doesn-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 } } ] } ```