False Modesty Quotes:

To the devil with false modesty.

- Stephen King

source: Stephen King (2008). “Carrie”, p.89, Anchor

topic: Devil, Modesty, False Modesty

Diffidence is a sort of false modesty.

- William Makepeace Thackeray

topic: Modesty, Diffidence, False Modesty

A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself.

- Jean de la Bruyere

topic: Wise, Men, Doe, False Modesty

False modesty is the most decent of all lies.

- Nicolas Chamfort

source: "Chamfort maxims: anecdotes, personalities, letters, historical writings, etc".

topic: Lying, Hypocrisy, Modesty, False Modesty

False modesty is the masterpiece of vanity: showing the vain man in such an illusory light that he appears in the reputation of the virtue quite opposite to the vice which constitutes his real character; it is a deceit.

- Jean de la Bruyere

topic: Real, Character, Men, False Modesty, Real Character

We must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.

- Paulo Coelho

topic: Humility, Modesty, Honest, Servility, False Modesty

False modesty can be worse than arrogance.

- David Mitchell

topic: Arrogance, Modesty, False Modesty

I definitely was always expected and encouraged to be a songwriter from a very young age, ... But really it's because, as a child, I thought I was Judy Garland. And when I started out, I was a little nuts. I thought I was a classic, legendary superstar when only 10 people knew who I was. I feel in some ways that my confidence is misinterpreted as arrogance, which is understandable. But I've also always thought that false modesty is evil.

- Rufus Wainwright

topic: Children, Nuts, Evil, False Modesty, Misinterpreted

One who has an inferiority complex can never be really humble, but can only have false modesty or false humility.

- Sri Chinmoy

topic: Humble, Humility, Inferiority, False Humility, False Modesty

True humility is more like self-forgetfulness than false modesty.

- C. S. Lewis

topic: Christian, Humility, Self, True Humility, False Modesty

Sex is as important as eating or drinking and we ought to allow the one appetite to be satisfied with as little restraint or false modesty as the other.

- Marquis de Sade

topic: Love, Life, Sex, Great Sex, False Modesty

False modesty is an attempt to tear yourself down. True humility focuses more on build up others.

- Tony Dungy

source: Tony Dungy, Nathan Whitaker (2011). “The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge”, p.693, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

topic: Humility, Tears, Modesty, True Humility, False Modesty

False modesty is the refinement of vanity. It is a lie.

- Jean de la Bruyere

topic: Lying, Vanity, Modesty, False Modesty

False modesty is better than none.

- Vilhjalmur Stefansson

topic: Modesty, False Modesty

The thing I hate most is false modesty. The artists who are, like, "Oh, you know, I'm really not that good. Oh, I can't believe I'm here." I find it vaguely sinister, even.

- Rufus Wainwright

source: "Rufus and Martha Wainwright on Family Memories, Jealousy, and Fame". Interview with Miranda Siegel, www.vulture.com. February 19, 2013.

topic: Hate, Believe, Artist, False Modesty, Things I Hate

I think in the world of indie music there's this sort of false modesty.

- Alex Kapranos

topic: Thinking, World, Modesty, False Modesty, Indie Music

There is a false modesty, which is vanity; a false glory, which is levity; a false grandeur, which is meanness; a false virtue, which is hypocrisy, and a false wisdom, which is prudery.

- Jean de la Bruyere

topic: Vanity, Hypocrisy, Modesty, False Modesty

The thunder of false modesty was deafening.

- Sebastian Faulks

topic: Modesty, Thunder, False Modesty

A false modesty is the meanest species of pride.

- Edward Gibbon

source: Edward Gibbon, John Baker Holroyd (1827). “Memoires of the Life and Writings of Edward Gibbon, Esq”, p.85

topic: Pride, Modesty, Species, False Modesty

It isn't false modesty when I say this, but although I am supposed to be a famous person it doesn't mean anything to me. I just sit at home and work.

- Gyorgy Ligeti

topic: Home, Mean, Modesty, False Modesty

I have huge legs, and I never show them - not because of false modesty, I'm just not comfortable.

- Cheyenne Jackson

source: Interview With Karman Kregloe, www.newnownext.com. July 8, 2007.

topic: Legs, Modesty, Shows, False Modesty

I go to therapy once a week, that helps a lot. I have a really supportive family. I have two little kids, I'm married, I live close to my parents, my brother and his wife. I don't socialize a lot. I work and I have my kids, basically. I'm just, I would say, with all false modesty aside, I'm ruthlessly efficient with my time.

- Mark Duplass

source: Source: collider.com

topic: Brother, Kids, Two, Supportive Family, False Modesty

There are twenty-four characters in this book named Max. Let there be an end to this silly business of authors never giving their own names to characters in their novels. False modesty, faugh!

- Max Shulman

source: Max Shulman (2016). “The Zebra Derby: A Novel”, p.8, Open Road Media

topic: Silly, Book, Character, False Modesty

Fidelity to conscience is inconsistent with retiring modesty. If it be so, let the modesty succumb. It can be only a false modesty which can be thus endangered.

- Harriet Martineau

topic: Modesty, Fidelity, Retiring, Inconsistent, False Modesty

Don't allow false modesty,doubts or unbelief prevent you from accepting God's favor. The door of mercy stands wide open.

- Aiden Wilson Tozer

topic: God, Christian, Religious, False Modesty, Accepting God

True modesty avoids everything that is criminal; false modesty everything that is unfashionable.

- Joseph Addison

topic: Criminals, Modesty, False Modesty

When entering on new ground we must not be afraid to express even risky ideas so as to stimulate research in all directions. As Priestley put it, we must not remain inactive through false modesty based on fear of being mistaken.

- Claude Bernard

topic: Science, Ideas, Entering, False Modesty