Mark Twain It Not What You Don Know Trouble
Mark Twain? Josh Billings? Artemus Ward? Kin Hubbard? Will Rogers? Anonymous?
Dear Quote Investigator: The Oscar-winning 2015 film "The Big Short" begins with a display of the following statement:
It ain't what you lot don't know that gets you lot into problem. It's what yous know for sure that merely own't and then.
The bright humorist Mark Twain receives credit, merely I accept been unable to find a solid citation. This quip is very popular. Would yous please investigate?
Quote Investigator: Scholars at the Heart for Mark Twain Studies of Elmira College have establish no substantive evidence supporting the ascription to Mark Twain. [1] Website: Heart for Mark Twain Studies, Article title: The Apocryphal Twain: "Things We Know That But Ain't So.", Article author: Matt Seybold, Engagement on website: October vi, 2016, … Continue reading
The ascertainment has been attributed to several other prominent humorists including: Josh Billings (pseudonym of Henry Wheeler Shaw), Artemus Ward (pseudonym of Charles Farrar Browne), Kin Hubbard (pen name of Frank McKinney Hubbard), and Will Rogers. Yet, it is unlikely then whatsoever of them said information technology. The creator remains anonymous based on electric current bear witness.
The maxim is hard to trace considering information technology falls within an evolving family of remarks apropos faulty knowledge and memory. 3 processes operate on members of the family to generate new members and ascriptions incrementally:
- Statements are rephrased over time.
- Statements are hybridized together to produce new statements.
- Attributions are shifted from one prominent humorist to another.
The family unit contains some comments with genuine ascriptions. For example, in 1874 a compendium of wit and humor from Josh Billings was published. The work employed dialectal spelling which causes headaches for modern researchers who are attempting to find matches using standard spelling. The following pertinent particular appeared in a section labeled "Affurisms", i.eastward., "Aphorisms". Emphasis added to excerpts by QI: [2] 1874, Everybody'due south Friend, Or; Josh Billing's Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humour, Department: Affurisms: Sollum Thoughts, Quote Page 286, American Publishing Visitor, Hartford, … Proceed reading
I honestly beleave it iz better tew know nothing than two know what ain't so.
Hither is the statement written with standard spelling:
I honestly believe information technology is better to know nothing than to know what ain't then.
This remark partially matched the proverb under investigation, and it acted as a seed in the evolving family of remarks.
Here are additional selected citations in chronological order.
Billings died in 1885, and in 1899 a religious orator whose words were recorded in the pages of "The Pacific Unitarian" reassigned a rephrased version of the maxim from Billings to Twain: [3] 1899 Feb, The Pacific Unitarian, Volume vii, Number 4, Accost of Rev. Charles R. Brown, Start Folio 118, Quote Page 119, Column ii, San Francisco, California. (Google Books Full View) link
Perchance, as Mark Twain observed, it is better not to know and then much than to know and then many things that aren't so.
In 1900 "The Dietetic and Hygienic Gazette" printed a argument attributed to Billings with quotation marks surrounding only a segment. The full argument included the cardinal discussion "trouble" which occurs in the target saying: [4] 1900 Oct, The Dietetic and Aseptic Gazette, Volume sixteen, Number x, Department of Notes and Queries, Offset Folio 641, Quote Folio 643, The Gazette Publishing Company, New York. (Google Books Full … Continue reading
Upon reading the start item nosotros are forcibly reminded of the pertinent and pithy remark of the lamented humorist, Josh Billings, that the trouble with a great many of u.s. is "we know so many things that ain't then."
In 1909 an advertisement within a volume called "A Drum's Story" ascribed a remark to Twain nearly quondam men and memory that contained the key word "problem": [five] 1909, A Drum'southward Story: And Other Tales past Delavan S. Miller, (Advertising fabric for the author'south previous volume: What Henry Haynie Has to Say in the Boston Times of D. S. Millers … Continue reading
Mark Twain once said that "the trouble with old men is they remember so many things that ain't so," but this volume of state of war reminiscences is different from virtually of Twain's reminiscences.
In 1911 the well-known writer G. Chiliad. Chesterton implausibly ascribed to humorist Artemus Ward who died in 1867 a statement that partially matched the target: [6] 1911 October xiv, The Illustrated London News, Our Notebook by Thousand. K. Chesterton, Start Page 615, Quote Page 615, The International News Company, New York. (Google Books Full View) link
1 of the two or iii wisest sayings uttered on this ancient earth was the remark of Artemus Ward, "It ain't so much men's ignorance that does the harm as their knowing and so many things that ain't and then."
Twain died in 1910, and his friend Albert Bigelow Paine published a multi-volume biography of the luminary in 1912. Paine presented two quotations from Twain that partially matched the saying being explored: [7] 1912, Marking Twain: A Biography: The Personal and Literary Life of Samuel Langhorne Clemens by Albert Bigelow Paine, Volume three of 4, Chapter 239: Working With Marking Twain, Quote Page 1269, Harper & … Continue reading
"When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not; but I am getting onetime, and soon I shall retrieve but the latter."
At some other time he paraphrased 1 of Josh Billings's sayings in the remark: "It isn't and then astonishing, the number of things that I can remember, as the number of things I can remember that aren't and then."
In 1913 "The Atlantic Monthly" credited Billings with the same argument that Chesterton ascribed to Artemus Ward in 1911: [8] 1913 July, The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 112, My Garden Beasts by Lucy Elliot Keeler, Commencement Page 134, Quote Folio 140, Cavalcade 2, The Atlantic Monthly Company, Boston, Massachusetts. (Google Books Full … Go along reading
One of the wisest sayings uttered on this ancient earth was Josh Billings's remark, 'It ain't so much men's ignorance that does the impairment as their knowing so many things that own't and then.'
In 1915 "The Catholic Globe" attributed a like argument to Billings: [9] 1915 November, The Catholic World, Volume 102, Number 608, Some Capacity in the History of Feminine Education by James J. Walsh, M.D. Ph.D., Start Folio 194, Quote Folio 194, Published past the Paulist … Keep reading
. . . "It is not so much the ignorance of flesh," Josh Billings said, "that makes them ridiculous, as the knowing and so many things that ain't so."
In 1917 a military book titled "The Unwritten History of Braddock'due south Field" included a chapter by George H. Lamb that credited Twain with a fractional match containing the give-and-take "trouble": [ten] 1917, The Unwritten History of Braddock's Field (Pennsylvania), Prepared by the History Committee Under the Editorship of Geo. H. Lamb for the Commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Braddock, … Go on reading
Members of the committee were reminded of Mark Twain'south dictum, that the problem with reminiscences is not that people know as well much, but that they know so many things that aren't then.
In April 1917 "The Lyceum Magazine" printed another expression attributed to Twain nearly "erstwhile men" which contained the central give-and-take "problem: [11] 1917 April, The Lyceum Magazine, Volume 26, Number 11, Dr. Conwell's Talks With Platform Workers by Russell H. Conwell (Honorary President I.L.A.), Quote Folio 26, Column 2, Chicago, Illinois. … Go on reading
Mark Twain used to say that "the problem with old men'southward memories is that they remember and then many things that ain't so." Since I heard him say that several times I accept been careful not to state anything unusual lest my friends should think that Marker Twain's arraignment is true in my example.
In 1921 a piece in "The Country Gentleman" printed a saying ascribed to Billings: [12] 1921 April 16, The Country Admirer, Where Ignorance Is Mis-: Misrepresentation and Misunderstanding Befuddle Our Taxation Laws by Harry R. O'Brien, Start Folio thirteen, Quote Page xiii, Column one, The … Continue reading
It ain't so much people'south ignorance that does the harm as their knowing then darned much that ain't so.—JOSH BILLINGS.
In 1923 B. C. Forbes founder of "Forbes" magazine wrote most a oral communication delivered by Francis H. Sisson, vice-president of the Guaranty Trust Company of New York: [thirteen] 1923 February x, The Buffalo Evening Times, Finance and Business concern by B. C. Forbes, Quote Page xi, Cavalcade ane, Buffalo, New York. (Newspapers_com)
Last evening Mr. Sisson talked to a large gathering of Iowa editors. His theme was the oft-quoted ascertainment of Josh Billings that "the trouble with the American people is not then much their ignorance every bit the tremendous number of things they know that ain't so."
In 1931 the "Ithaca Periodical-News" of Ithaca, New York printed an expression attributed to Billings that was semantically close to the target saying: [14] 1931 July 6, Ithaca Journal-News, "Things Which Ain't So" By William Trufant Foster and Waddill Catchings , Quote Page 4, Cavalcade 4, Ithaca, New York. (Newspapers_com)
It ain't what a man don't know-that makes him a fool; it's the awful sight of things he knows' that ain't then. Josh Billings said something of that sort, and Josh Billings knew what he was talking about.
In 1947 the "Janesville Daily Gazette" printed a shut syntactic and semantic match ascribed to Twain: [xv] 1947 May 21, Janesville Daily Gazette, Editorial Panorama, (Filler particular), Quote Page 6, Cavalcade ii, Janesville, Wisconsin. (Newspapers_com)
It ain't so much the things that people don't know that makes problem in this world, every bit information technology is the things that people know that ain't and so. — Mark Twain.
In 1958 the character Abe Martin received credit for a saying within this family. Cartoonist Kin Hubbard was the creator of Abe Martin: [sixteen] 1958 March 5, San Francisco Examiner, Wellness for Today: Facts Distorted Into Fads by West. W. Bauer Grand.D. (Director of Health Education American Medical Association), Section 2, Quote Page 2, Column four, … Continue reading
Abe Martin'southward definition of ignorance was "non then much what a person don't know, every bit what he knows that own't and so." And he is certainly correct.
In June 1964 the "Boston Traveler" of Boston, Massachusetts credited Artemus Ward with a stiff syntactic and semantic match: [17] 1964 June 26, Boston Traveler, Family Finance: Statistics Can Be Twisted To Fool Unwary by Dick Miller, Quote Page 24, Column 3 and iv, Boston, Massachusetts. (GenealogyBank)
Or, as Artemus Ward put information technology, "it ain't so much the things nosotros don't know that get the states into trouble. It's the things we know that own't so."
In Nov 1964 Ronald Reagan who later became the U.Due south. President delivered a speech on television that contained a pertinent instance without attribution: [18] 1964 Nov ii, Ames Daily Tribune, (Political advertizement titled: Did You See Ronald Reagan'southward Tv set Spoken language?), Quote Page 8, Column four, Ames, Iowa. (Newspapers_com)
Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, simply that they know so much that isn't so!
In 1977 "Peter'southward Quotations: Ideas for Our Time" past Laurence J. Peter credited Kin Hubbard with a version of the saying: [xix] 1977, "Peter's Quotations: Ideas for Our Time" by Laurence J. Peter, Topic: Ignorance, Quote Folio 260, William Morrow and Company, New York. (Verified with hardcopy)
'Tain't what a man don't know that hurts him; it'southward what he knows that just own't so.
—Frank McKinney Hubbard ("Kin Hubbard")
In 1978 "New York Mag" printed an instance together with an unlikely ascription to funny human Will Rogers: [20] 1978 July 10, New York Magazine, Volume 11, Number 28, Truthful or Faux past Randy Cohen, Start Page 29, Quote Page 30, Published past New York Media, LLC. (Google Books Full View) link
The trouble with about people, every bit Will Rogers observed, is not that they don't know much but that they know then much that isn't true.
In 1983 former U.South. Vice President Walter Mondale employed the saying while criticizing President Ronald Reagan. Mondale credited the words to Volition Rogers: [21] 1983 June 15, San Francisco Examiner, Demos rebut Reagan over school funds (Associated Press), Quote Page A5, Column ane, San Francisco, California. (Newspapers_com)
"I keep quoting Will Rogers as saying of (former President Herbert) Hoover that it's not what he doesn't know that bothers me, it's what he knows for sure that just ain't then," Mondale said.
In 2006 the Oscar-winning documentary about climate change titled "An Inconvenient Truth" displayed an case of the proverb and credited Marker Twain: [22] Twelvemonth: 2006, Motion-picture show: An Inconvenient Truth, Director: Davis Guggenheim, Studio: Paramount, Master Narrator: Al Gore, Video Access: Amazon Prime Service, (Quotation starts at 7 minutes 45 seconds of 1 … Continue reading
What gets us into problem
is non what we don't know
It's what we know for sure
that just ain't and then– Marker Twain
In conclusion, the target saying evolved incrementally over time. Instances have been attributed to a variety of humorists such equally Marking Twain, Josh Billings, Artemus Ward, Kin Hubbard, and Will Rogers. However, there is no substantive testify that the saying was crafted but one of these funny men. The ascription remains anonymous.
The 1874 quotation from Josh Billings: "I honestly beleave information technology iz ameliorate tew know naught than two know what ain't and then" is farther explored on this webpage.
The quotation from Mark Twain: "When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not; but I am getting erstwhile, and soon I shall call up only the latter" is farther explored on this webpage.
Prototype Notes: Public domain picture of Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) from the Harvard Theatre Collection. Public domain picture of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) past Abdullah Frères circa 1867 from the Library of Congress. Public domain picture of Artemus Ward (Charles Farrar Brown) from the Harvard Theatre Drove. Images accessed via Wikimedia Eatables. Images have been resized, retouched, and cropped.
(Great thanks to Tom Beeler, Stephen Dorfman, Francis Neelon, Marcos Tatijewski, Simon Lancaster, Dick Plotz, Lane Greene, and George Dinwiddie whose inquiries led QI to codify this question and perform this exploration. Special thanks to fellow researchers Matt Seybold, Suzy Platt, Ralph Keyes, Fred R. Shapiro, Nigel Rees, and Barry Popik who accept explored quotations in this family. Additional thanks to Lane Greene who pointed to the 1964 statement of Ronald Reagan and Dick Plotz who pointed to Walter Mondale's 1983 argument.)
Update History: On November 23, 2018 the November 1964 and the June 1983 citations were added.
Source: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/11/18/know-trouble/
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