Quotes About Self-awareness

People are afraid of themselves, nowadays. They have forgotten the highest of all duties, the duty that one owes to one's self. Of course, they are charitable. They feed the hungry and clothe the beggar. But their own souls starve, and are naked. Courage has gone out of our race. Perhaps we never really had it. The terror of society, which is the basis of morals, the terror of God, which is the secret of religion—these are the two things that govern us. And yet—

My writing has gone to bits - like my character. I am simply a self-conscious nerve in pain.

The well bred contradict other people. the wise contradict themselves.

In fact, now you mention the subject, I have been very bad in my own small way. I don't think you should be so proud of that, though I am sure it must have been very pleasant.

One cannot always keep an adder in one's breast to feed one, nor rise up every night to sow thorns in the garden of one's soul.

I remember your saying once that there is a fatality about good resolutions—that they are always made too late. Mine certainly were.

For he to whom the present is the only thing that is present, knows nothing of the age in which he lives. To realise the nineteenth century, one must realise every century that has preceded it and that has contributed to its making. To know anything about oneself one must know all about others.

The reason we all like to think so well of others is that we are all afraid for ourselves. The basis of optimism is sheer terror. We think that we are generous because we credit our neighbor with the possession of those virtues that are likely to be a benefit to us.

I am sorry my life is so marred and maimed by extravagance. But I cannot live otherwise. I, at any rate, pay the penalty of suffering.

Of course, married life is merely a habit, a bad habit. But then one regrets the loss even of one's worst habits. Perhaps one regrets them the most. They are such an essential part of one's personality.

It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves.

At every single moment of one's life one is what one is going to be no less than what one has been.

MRS ALLONBY You have your looking-glass LORD ILLINGWORTH It is unkind. I merely shows me my wrinkles. MRS ALLONBY Mine is better behaved. It never tells me the truth. LORD ILLINGWORTH Then it is in love with you.

What is a sensitive person?" said the Cracker to the Roman Candle. "A person who, because he has corns himself, always treads on other people's toes," answered the Roman Candle in a low whisper; and the Cracker nearly exploded with laughter.

Besides, nothing makes one so vain as being told that one is a sinner.

Terrible as was what the world did to me, what I did to myself was far more terrible still.

Lady Bracknell, I hate to seem inquisitive, but would you kindly inform me who I am?

People are afraid of themselves, nowadays. They have forgotten the highest of all duties, the duty that one owes to one's self.

I suppose it comes from the fact that none of us can stand other people having the same faults as ourselves.

Yes, Dorian, you will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to commit.

The only possible society is oneself. To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.

To be good is to be in harmony with one's self. Discord is to be forced to be in harmony with others.

Sono così intelligente che a volte non capisco una sola parola di quel che sto dicendo.