Pride is founded not on the sense of happiness, but on the sense of power.
William HazlittRead
Modesty is the lowest of the virtues, and is a real confession of the deficiency it indicates. He who undervalues himself is justly undervalued by others.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Modesty can often signify a lack of self-worth, leading others to undervalue you too.
In this quote, William Hazlitt suggests that modesty, while typically regarded as a virtue, may actually reveal a deeper issue of self-doubt. When a person holds themselves in low regard, that attitude is often reflected back by the perceptions of others, resulting in a cycle of undervaluation that stems from personal insecurity.
Themes
ModestySelf-WorthValueConfidencePerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a self-improvement workshop, one might say, 'Remember, modesty can hold you back; embrace your achievements!'
More from William Hazlitt
All quotes →The world loves to be amused by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live in a state of hallucination; and can forgive everything but the plain, downright, simple, honest truth.
William HazlittRead
Our repugnance to death increases in proportion to our consciousness of having lived in vain.
William HazlittRead
We can bear to be deprived of everything but our self-conceit.
William HazlittRead
There are few things in which we deceive ourselves more than in the esteem we profess to entertain for our firends. It is little better than a piece of quackery. The truth is, we think of them as we please, that is, as they please or displease us.
William HazlittRead
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
William HazlittRead
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