Category Archives: foolish

To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution.

Posted on 11 January 2016 by philosiblog

To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? To me, and my understanding of Stoicism, a closer translation of problem might well be puzzle or challenge. Stoics take the … Continue reading →

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Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.

Posted on 23 November 2015 by philosiblog

Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. – Proverbs 12-16 NIV What does that mean? In this translation, it is all about keeping your head about you when things become difficult. What you do in … Continue reading →

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He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

Posted on 1 September 2015 by philosiblog

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. – Chinese Proverb What does that mean? This, like most ancient proverbs, was difficult to source, but quite … Continue reading →

Posted in foolish, intelligence, learning, potential, question, self improvement | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Wisdom and Folly are taking opposite sides. Which shall I join?

Posted on 30 May 2014 by philosiblog

Wisdom and Folly are taking opposite sides. Which shall I join? – Seneca What does that mean? In the letter from which this quote is taken, Seneca is discussing the difference between Stoics and others when it comes to defining … Continue reading →

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Luck is probability taken personally.

Posted on 28 May 2014 by philosiblog

Luck is probability taken personally. – Penn Jillette, who attributes this quote to Chip Denman What does that mean? Think about that for a moment. Were you lucky, or did statistics simply favor you that one time? Or, perhaps, for … Continue reading →

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The talk of the ignorant is like the rumblings which issue from the belly.

Posted on 26 February 2014 by philosiblog

The talk of the ignorant is like the rumblings which issue from the belly. – Demetrius the Cynic What does that mean? I like this quote. It is one of the snarkier bits of Ancient Wisdom with which I have … Continue reading →

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The beginning is the most important part of the work.

Posted on 9 December 2013 by philosiblog

The beginning is the most important part of the work. – Plato What does that mean? The wikiquote translation of the quote is “the beginning in every task is the chief thing” which I consider to be close enough to be … Continue reading →

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By changing nothing, nothing changes.

Posted on 22 November 2013 by philosiblog

By changing nothing, nothing changes. – Tony Robbins What does that mean? This quote is about procrastination, and what results from doing nothing. I imagine every one of us have something we wish we’d started last year. A diet, started last … Continue reading →

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If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.

Posted on 9 October 2013 by philosiblog

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid. – Epictetus What does that mean? I like this quote, because I have lived it so many times. While we can learn a lot from books, the internet, and … Continue reading →

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To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid; you must also be well-mannered.

Posted on 3 October 2013 by philosiblog

To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid; you must also be well-mannered. – Voltaire What does that mean? This is another example of the biting wit of Voltaire. He was also showing us how little things … Continue reading →

Posted in caution, decision, effort, foolish, intelligence, judgement | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones.

Posted on 14 September 2013 by philosiblog

Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones. – Seneca What does that mean? This is a great quote for the weekend. Consider the pleasure, as some call it, of a few drinks. That can be … Continue reading →

Posted in choice, foolish, happiness, judgement, risk, understanding | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

We naturally have self-interest but it should be wise rather than foolish self-interest by taking others needs into account as well as ours.

Posted on 18 August 2013 by philosiblog

We naturally have self-interest but it should be wise rather than foolish self-interest by taking others needs into account as well as ours. – Dalai Lama What does that mean? I like this quote, as it acknowledges a basic human behavior, yet … Continue reading →

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A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.

Posted on 10 July 2013 by philosiblog

A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation. – Mark Twain What does that mean? While this quote shows up on many quote sites, I couldn’t find a definitive source for the quote, so it’s … Continue reading →

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Control your thoughts; they may break into words at anytime.

Posted on 30 May 2013 by philosiblog

Control your thoughts; they may break into words at anytime. – Anonymous What does that mean? This quote is about the things people say. It implies that sometimes that filter between our mind and our mouth doesn’t work as well … Continue reading →

Posted in caution, emotion, foolish, humor, judgement, understanding | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.

Posted on 16 November 2012 by philosiblog

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. – Lewis Cass What does that mean? This is a classic, which has been said many ways before, from elegant, through practical, to downright crass. But the … Continue reading →

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