Evan Esar Quotes

For, to conceited men, all other men are admirers.

Vanity is a confounded donkey, very apt to put his head between his legs, and chuck us over; but pride is a fine horse, that will carry us over the ground, and enable us to distance our fellow-travelers.

Take away the self-conceited, and there will be elbowroom in the world.

Egotism is the tongue of vanity.

Conceit is lovable and unconcealed ; vanity is supreme selfishness, usually hidden.

Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.

Such is the nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; yet they will hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves.

In a vain man, the smallest spark may kindle into the greatest flame, because the materials are always prepared for it.

Provided a man is not mad, he can be cured of every folly but vanity; there is no cure for this but experience, if indeed there is any cure for it at all.

Conceit may puff a man up, but never prop him up.

The proud are ever most provoked by pride.

Conceit is an outward manifestation of inferiority.

There is no folly of which a man who is not a fool cannot get rid except vanity; of this nothing cures a man except experience of its bad consequences, if indeed anything can cure it.

Pride is a fault that great men blush not to own: it is the ennobled offspring of self-love; though, it must be confessed, grave and pompous vanity, Iike a fat plebeian in a rove of office, does very often assume its name.

A man given to pride is usually proud of the wrong thing.

Conceit is thinking you're great; egotism is knowing it.

Ain't nothing too discreet about the disease of conceit.

Pride is seldom delicate; it will please itself with very mean advantages.

Pride comes before a fall - although in [Henry Kissinger's] case it's more conceit than pride.

Pride that dines on vanity, sups on contempt.

Self-conceit is a weighty quality, and will sometimes bring down the scale when there is nothing else in it. It magnifies a fault beyond proportion, and swells every omission into an outrage.

The biggest turn-off for me is people who think the world of themselves. Arrogance is not a sexy quality, and it really gets on my nerves.

An ostentatious man will rather relate a blunder or an absurdity he has committed, than be debarred from talking of his own dear person.

Ego is the great enemy. Ego will hold you back every single time.

Vanity can easily overtake wisdom. It usually overtakes common sense.