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About this quote

What does it mean?
True economic wisdom is recognizing the limits of your knowledge.
In plain terms
Know what you don't know about the economy.
What can you take from it?
Acknowledge uncertainty in economic decisions.

Where it applies

  • economic analysis
  • policy decisions
  • investment

Putting it to work

  • check assumptions
  • seek diverse views

Questions to consider

  • What don't you know about economics?
  • How does ignorance affect decisions?

Another view

Action sometimes requires deciding despite incomplete knowledge.

More from John Kenneth Galbraith

  1. Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.

    Permalink to quote #73
  2. The conspicuously wealthy turn up urging the character building values of the privation of the poor.

    Permalink to quote #75
  3. Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have it and those who do not.

    Permalink to quote #72

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