Wisdom

“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”

– Bertrand Russell, "The Triumph of Stupidity" (1933)

What does it mean?

Foolish people tend to be very confident, while clever people see the problems and hesitate. So the loudest, surest voices are often wrong.

Key vocabulary

fundamental
most basic and important
cocksure
too confident, in an annoying way

Who said it?

Bertrand Russell: British philosopher and mathematician (1872–1970). Source: "The Triumph of Stupidity" (1933).