Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes

To govern well, one must see things as they are.

We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.

The wise form right judgment of the present from what is past.

The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. But on the other hand, knowledge of an apparently trivial detail quite often makes it possible to see into the depth of things. And so the wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom.

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

I operate better with education and awareness, like I think all of us do. I don't like to be walking around in a vacuum, lost in my own thoughts. I'm much better with information.

We mistake being able to get lots of information from everywhere very quickly with actually getting knowledge.

We will fight ignorance and a lack of information with information.

Common sense is often underrated.

I think it's true we look forward to enormous amounts of information, but I think we would be better off if we thought about the kinds of wisdom and thoughtfulness that we need in order to handle the amount of information ahead.

Against Knowledge I have, as the light cynic observed of a certain lady's past, only one serious objection - that there is so much of it.

It's not as if Trump is addicted to the best-researched, most in-depth, meticulously sourced material in the world. If he were, we'd all be better off, right?

And what does really matter? That is easy: thinking and doing, doing and thinking--and these are the sum of all wisdom. . . . Both must move ever onward in life, to and fro, like breathing in and breathing out.

But why allow someone to make a bad choice when a little information might engender a better one? It's hard to wake up and see the sun if the blinds are pulled.

He that in the ordinary affairs of life would admit of nothing but direct plain demonstration would be sure of nothing in this world but of perishing quickly.

Wise men don't need concrete answers. By definition, they need wisdom." ~ Geraki

Wise men are not wise at all hours, and will speak five times from their taste or their humor, to once from their reason.

Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all.

Passion is inversely proportional to the amount of real information available

Think before you speak. Read before you think.

The greatest challenge facing mankind is the challenge of distinguishing reality from fantasy, truth from propaganda. Perceiving the truth has always been a challenge to mankind, but in the information age (or as I think of it, the disinformation age) it takes on a special urgency and importance.

Knowledge is an addiction, as drink; knowledge does not bring understanding. Knowledge can be taught, but not wisdom; there must be freedom from knowledge for the coming of wisdom.

I think of the need for more wisdom in the world, to deal with the knowledge that we have. At one time we had wisdom, but little knowledge. Now we have a great deal of knowledge, but do we have enough wisdom to deal with that knowledge?

Intelligence alone is not nearly enough when it comes to acting wisely.

We have a right to believe whatever we want, but not everything we believe is right.