This aphorism draws a sharp distinction between willful ignorance and enforced illiteracy. It suggests that choosing not to read is functionally equivalent to lacking the ability — in both cases, knowledge goes unacquired. The quote is often attributed to Mark Twain, though its exact origin is unverified, and it resonates as a call to intellectual humility and lifelong learning. It reminds us that opportunity without action yields the same result as no opportunity at all.