whats that famous quote "knowing one side of the story you are a genious, two or more sides you are an idiot

Question

i believe it was mark twain that said it. anyways it was something along that line i just dont know the exact quote.

Answer 1

Mark Twain or not, I don't agree with it.

The smarter you are, the more sides you see... and to see all sides without siding with anyone is omniscience.

Answer 2

I agree. Anybody can know only one side of something, and sure enough, when people know very little, they act very proud and knowledgeable. As they grow more knowlegeable, they become less proud and arrogant, and admit to being idiots. Sometimes, there even comes a point when we bow our heads humbly and pray for guidance and divine wisdom because our human capacity is limited.

I do not know if Mark Twain ever said that, but it must have been a wise man. I do remember a quote attributed to Confucius saying the empty stalk of the grain lifts its head proudly to heaven but the ripe stalk full of grain bows its head closer to the earth.

Answer 3

One must try to understand what is being said; who said it does not help you in that, nor does it matter.

On the face of it, both sub-statements are untrue. But giving the benefit to whoever said this of at least considering further what meaning it might have if looked into deeper,the author here was obviously comparing how the world looks upon one who concentrates all his effort in one field of study, especially if his aptitude for it is inborn , if he has what we call 'talent', with another for whom the vision of reality comes, instead, from various fields of investigation , from 'two or more sides', at times giving an appearance of confusion or contradiction - if not insanity.