"Without feeling abashed by my ignorance, I confess that I am absolutely unable to say. In the absence of an appearance of learning, my answer has at least one merit, that of perfect sincerity"

This quote by Jean Henri Fabre speaks to the importance of honesty and sincerity in the face of lack of knowledge. Fabre acknowledges that he is unable to address a concern, but rather of pretending to understand the response, he is honest about his absence of understanding. He acknowledges that his answer might not be excellent, however it is genuine. This quote encourages us to be honest about our ignorance and to not repent of it. It is much better to be sincere and genuine than to pretend to know something we do not. Fabre's quote reminds us that understanding is valuable, but sincerity and sincerity are much more important.