Karl Kraus Quotes

No, indeed; I don't know anything. You see, I am stuffed, so I have no brains at all.

Understanding means throwing away your knowledge.

How can people be so stupid? I marvel at that. See, I think you have to work as being ignorant - and if you're gonna work at being ignorant, why not work at being informed?

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.

No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don't ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.

The first step towards knowledge is to know that we are ignorant.

While one man can discover a certain thing by himself, another is never able to understand it, even if taught by means of all possible expressions and metaphors, and during a long period; his mind can in no way grasp it, his capacity is insufficient for it.

Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.

Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has its value.

The stupidity of people comes from having an answer for everything. The wisdom of the novel comes from having a question for everything.

Don't let your heart get big because of your knowledge. Take counsel with the ignorant as well as with the scholar.

To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge.

I used to have so many opinions before I learned the facts.

It really is very true that the more you do, the less you know. I try to keep myself very open-minded in that sense.

A man remains ignorant because he loves ignorance, and chooses ignorant thoughts; a man becomes wise because he loves wisdom and chooses wise thoughts.

Guarding knowledge is not a good way to understand. Understanding means to throw away your knowledge.

My mum taught me how to read before I went to kindergarden, I always thought that being able to read provided lightness, help to dispel darkness, ignorance and stupidity.

The ignorant are to be found as much among the educated as among the uneducated.

A great deal of learning can be packed into an empty head.

Who does not understand should either learn, or be silent.

It is our knowledge - the things we are sure of - that makes the world go wrong and keeps us from seeing and learning.

Learning is, in too many cases, but a foil to common sense; a substitute for true knowledge.

Fools do not understand men of intelligence.

The more we learn about the world, and the deeper our learning, the more conscious, specific, and articulate will be our knowledge of what we do not know, our knowledge of our ignorance

The only death I fear is dying ignorant.