Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Sometimes, silence is more prudent than speaking and revealing ignorance.
This quote by Mark Twain suggests that there are moments when it is wiser to remain silent, as speaking may expose one's lack of knowledge or lead to misunderstandings. The idea is that by staying quiet, one can avoid appearing foolish, while speaking can confirm any doubts others might have about their intelligence or understanding.
Themes
SilenceWisdomKnowledgeFoolishnessCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
During a meeting where contentious topics arise, saying this quote can remind people that it's okay to listen rather than speak.
More from Mark Twain
All quotes βThe easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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