The know-nothings are, unfortunately, seldom the do-nothings.

The line appears as an aphorism in McLaughlin’s 1963 collection “The Neurotic’s Notebook” (chapter 5). Later quotation compilations reprinted it with her attribution. The article also notes earlier, thematically similar remarks by Yeats and Russell, but not this exact wording.

It observes that people who are ignorant or uninformed are often the ones who act, speak, or exert influence, while those who might be more thoughtful or informed are less likely to take action.

The know-nothings are, unfortunately, seldom the do-nothings.