While Taoist philosopher Lao Tsu was the first to make the statement, “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know” part of his formal teachings, some form of the wisdom behind this statement has been attributed to such great philosophical minds as Socrates, Buddha, and Jesus.
For many, its intention speaks to the idea of being humble and reserved in our wisdom and experience. For others, seemingly the exact opposite holds true—that those who have knowledge should share it with all, for the benefit and progress of society, pointing to where we might be if the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk did not talk up and share their knowledge with the world. Yet another perspective, and the one that seems to ring true today, is that the statement is a warning about speaking—or promising—when we are not fully engaged with the facts.