The more you know
Meaning
This phrase is used to express satisfaction or surprise upon learning new information, often implying that expanding one's knowledge is a valuable and ongoing process.
Origin
While the concept of gaining knowledge has been valued for centuries, the phrase "The more you know" found its indelible place in modern English thanks to a brilliant bit of branding. In 1989, NBC launched a series of iconic public service announcements (PSAs) in the United States. These brief, informative segments covered everything from health tips to social awareness, always culminating with the phrase "The more you know" appearing on screen, accompanied by a distinctive shooting star and a chime. This wildly successful campaign cemented the phrase into the cultural consciousness, transforming it into a widely recognized, and often playfully used, shorthand for expressing the satisfaction of learning a new, often surprising, fact.
Examples
- I just found out that bats are the only mammals that can truly fly; the more you know!
- After reading that article about the history of spices, I felt a sense of wonder—the more you know about everyday things, the more amazing they seem.