Christian Nestell Bovee Quotes

There are many who have grave scruples about deceiving but think it as nothing to deceive themselves.

I consider myself a fairly ethical individual while I do have a lot of dichotomies within me. We're all victims of our own hypocrisy at times.

I have always had a lot more trouble with my truths than with my deceits.

I wanted to write a book about people who have the best intentions and think - really, truly think - that they're doing the right thing. And then they realize that when those ideals come knocking at their windowsill, a lot of times they will suddenly disavow those ideals.

Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.

It is one of those problems of human nature, which may be noted down, but not solved; - although Ralph felt no remorse at that moment for his conduct towards the innocent, true-hearted girl; although his libertine clients had done precisely what he had expected, precisely what he most wished, and precisely what would tend most to his advantage, still he hated them for doing it, from the very bottom of his soul.

Every man's conscience is vile and depraved / You cannot depend on it to be your guide when it’s you who must keep it satisfied.

Ah, well, being conflicted means you can live a shallow life without copping to be a shallow person.

We fell morally ill because we became used to saying something different from what we thought.

There is a guilty conscience behind every brazen word and act and behind every manifestation of self-righteousness.

Like many people, I have a fascination with lies and the people who tell them. I wouldn't say I've never told a lie, but I don't think I've ever told one without both assuming I would be found out and feeling absolutely rotten about it.

Hypocrisy is a detriment to progress. There's always a hidden agenda.

His head was full of larceny, but his feet were honest.

He [William Gladstone] made his conscience not his guide but his accomplice.

… he must deceive, misrepresent, leave false impressions … and trust to charm, loyalty and the result to make up for it…. A great man cannot be a good man.

What, pray, does it profit a man to teach others, and to be prating always about virtue, in high-sounding words, if he fails to give heed to his own instructions?

We should often blush for our very best actions, if the world did but see all the motives upon which they were done.

I think I wear my hypocrisy on my sleeve. I would never say I'm not a complete hypocrite.

You might want to think twice before you try to use a man's conscience against him. It may turn out he doesn't have one.

To enjoy a good reputation, give publicly, and steal privately.

I'm a good person. In most ways. But I'm beginning to think that being a good person in most ways doesn't count for anything very much, if you're a bad person in one way.

The prevarication and white lies which a mind that keeps itself ambitiously pure is as uneasy under as a great artist under the false touches that no eye detects but his own, are worn as lightly as mere trimmings when once the actions have become a lie.

I'm a fool, to confuse this with goodness. I am not good. I know too much to be good. I know myself. I know myself to be vengeful, greedy, secretive and sly.

Only the difference between truth and lies, courage and cowardice.

We're all hypocrites. We all say one thing and do another. But why don't we try to do what we say more than what we don't?