“People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are willing to remain actually fools.”
— Alice Walker
Copied to clipboard
Simplified Meaning:
People often worry about making mistakes or looking silly in front of others. Because of this fear, they sometimes decide not to speak up, try new things, or ask questions. For example, in a classroom, a student might have a question but stays quiet because they don't want their classmates to think they don't know the answer. As a result, they miss the chance to learn and end up not understanding the lesson. Over time, this can prevent them from gaining knowledge and improving themselves. The idea here is that the fear of being judged by others can hold people back from personal growth. It's better to risk looking foolish for a moment than to stay ignorant forever.
Related tags
Authenticity Fear of judgment Foolishness Human behavior Introspection Perception Pride Self-awareness Social dynamics Wisdom
FEATURED QUOTES
