Who said “Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his…”?

Verified

John Kenneth Galbraith. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Age of Uncertainty (1977), Chapter 12, p. 324

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his achievements; Jove is known to strike such people down.”
VerifiedThe Age of Uncertainty (1977), Chapter 12, p. 324 · evidencePessimism

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Age of Uncertainty (1977), Chapter 12, p. 324.

APA

Galbraith, J. K. (n.d.). Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his achievements; Jove is known to strike such people down. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25136-man-at-least-when-educated-is-a-pessimist/

MLA

Galbraith, John Kenneth. “Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his achievements; Jove is known to strike such people down.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25136-man-at-least-when-educated-is-a-pessimist/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Galbraith, John Kenneth. “Man, at least when educated, is a pessimist. He believes it safer not to reflect on his achievements; Jove is known to strike such people down.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25136-man-at-least-when-educated-is-a-pessimist/.