“Knowledge is free. You just gotta pay attention”

“Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention” is a saying that has been printed on many images. There are several variations of the saying, and authorship is unknown.
   
“Knowledge isn’t free. To gain it, you must pay attention” was posted on Twitter by Jason L Blair on March 31, 2009. “Knowledge is free. All you gotta do is pay attention” was posted on Twitter by Wu-Tang / Sunz Of Man HELLRAZAH MUSIC INC.✍🏾 on October 20, 2009. “Knowledge is free you just have to pay attention” was posted on Twitter by 𝑵𝒆𝒏𝒂 𝑳𝒖𝒗𝒗 on October 22, 2011. “knowledge is free you just gotta pay attention!” was posted on Twitter by @brianPeterkin on December 28, 2012.
 
The saying became popular in 2017. “Knowledge isn’t free you gotta pay attention!” was posted on Twitter by BottomLineEnt. on January 4, 2017. “Knowledge isn’t free you have to pay attention” was posted on Twitter by diator.the.photog later on January 4, 2017. “Knowledge isn’t free you have to pay attention!” was posted on Twitter by blakklife.com on January 8, 2017.
   
”#Knowledge isn’t free.. You have to pay attention! ~ Bob Marley” (also shown on a meme along with an image of Bob Marley) was posted on Twitter by Jasminka (and others) on February 22, 2017. There is no evidence that Jamaican singer, songwriter, and musician Bob Marley (1945-1981) ever said it. “Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention” was posted on Twitter by Richard Feynman on July 17, 2020. There is no evidence that American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988) ever said it.
 
       
Twitter
Jason L Blair
@jasonlblair
Knowledge isn’t free. To gain it, you must pay attention.
11:55 AM · Mar 31, 2009·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
Wu-Tang / Sunz Of Man HELLRAZAH MUSIC INC.✍🏾.
@Razah_Rubiez
Knowledge is free. All you gotta do is pay attention.
7:36 PM · Oct 20, 2009·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Phillip Dimond. P!
@Demont11
RT @Razah_Rubiez: Knowledge is free. All you gotta do is pay attention.
7:37 PM · Oct 20, 2009·Twitter Web Client
     
Twitter
Erika Garcia
@Erikitamarie24
knowledge isn’t free, we have to pay with our attention. So pay attention.
12:59 AM · Dec 10, 2009·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
𝑵𝒆𝒏𝒂 𝑳𝒖𝒗𝒗
@nenaluvvtweets
Knowledge is free you just have to pay attention #NenaLuvv
1:35 PM · Oct 22, 2011·Plume for Android
     
Twitter
@brianPeterkin
@bodhicittaBri
@iandiLEN knowledge is free you just gotta pay attention!
7:09 PM · Dec 28, 2012·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Ric & Thadeus
@RicandThadeus
Knowledge is free, you just have to pay attention.
9:29 PM · Mar 21, 2013·Facebook
     
Twitter
BottomLineEnt.
@OutlawJesseJNBO
Knowledge isn’t free you gotta pay attention! ... #newbreedorder #ripmytwinsister #GFL ...
12:20 PM · Jan 4, 2017·TweetCaster for iOS
   
Twitter
B.Neal
@GlorytohimNeal1
Knowledge isn’t free you gotta pay attention.
12:27 PM · Jan 4, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
diator.the.photog
@TheDiator
Knowledge isn’t free you have to pay attention.
4:34 PM · Jan 4, 2017·Facebook
   
Twitter
blakklife.com
@BlakkLife
Knowledge isn’t free you have to pay attention!
3:08 AM · Jan 8, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
The Optimist
@GoodToGreatUK
“Knowledge isn’t free, you have to PAY attention to get it” #quote #training #learning #Development
7:47 AM · Jan 10, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Ra-El Bey™
@RaElBey13
Right knowledge isn’t free. You have to Pay attention
-Anonymous
2:14 PM · Feb 2, 2017·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Jasminka
@BSuhic
#Knowledge isn’t free.. You have to pay attention!
~ Bob Marley
#wednesdaywisdom
5:16 AM · Feb 22, 2017·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter
qal
@_haiqalnajmi
Knowledge isn’t free. You have to PAY [attention]
-Bob Marley-
7:10 AM · Feb 22, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
 
Google Books
Title Knowledge Isn’t Free You Have to Pay Attention Teachers Journal: 200 Pages 6 X 9 Wide Ruled Lined Journal Teacher Appreciation Gift Blank Notebook
Author Jazzy Smooth
Publisher Independently Published, 2019
ISBN 109229709X, 9781092297097
Length 200 pages
     
Reddit—Motivation
Posted by u/askingmindsblog September 5, 2019
Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention.
   
Facebook
Muslim Hands Canada
November 27, 2019 at 7:00 AM ·
“Knowledge isn’t free, you have to pay attention” Bob Marley #education
 
Twitter
Richard Feynman
@ProfFeynman
Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention.
4:05 AM · Jul 17, 2020·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Jorge V. Monteiro
@jvinmont
“Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention” (Richard Feynman, fisico).
7:38 AM · Jul 17, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Facebook
I Love Being Black
February 16, 2021 at 12:58 AM ·
Are you paying attention?
https://ilovebeingblack.com/shop
(The following text is shown on an image.—ed.)
“Knowledge is free,
you just got to Pay
Attention!”
 
Twitter
Project Phill
@MichaelChristm3
Knowledge is free you just gotta pay attention
5:54 PM · Mar 5, 2021·Twitter for iPhone