What does the saying “don suffer fools gladly” mean?
It is a Biblical expression (2 Corinthians 11:19). In this verse it is used in the positive sense, as the Corinthian Church is prepared to suffer fools gladly. To understand its meaning, one has to be aware of the background. Paul is using irony. The Corinthian Church has turned away from his authoritative teaching and is listening to all kinds of half-baked ideas from ill-informed people. They are, in other words, all too happy to put up with stupid people, while rejecting him. Nowadays it tends to be used in the negative sense. “I don’t suffer fools gladly” means that I am intolerant of people who are stupid, I am irritated by foolishness.
