The real sting here lies in what Plato saw beneath surface appearances: that noise often masks absence rather than abundance. A person brimming with genuine knowledge rarely feels compelled to broadcast it loudly, whereas someone hollow finds constant assertion necessary—it's the only way to convince themselves and others they possess something worth hearing. Watch a truly accomplished craftsman or scholar in conversation; they ask questions and listen far more than they declaim. That executive who dominates every meeting with unsolicited opinions, drowning out quieter voices? Often enough, it's anxiety filling a void, not confidence springing from substance.