Cecily von Ziegesar Quotes

I think most people, and I'm talking vamp or human, are shitty. They put on an act. They pretend to be all nicey-nice, but are really just one step away from showing their true asshole-ness.

Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not. It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities.

Over-niceness may be under-niceness.

He was never more sinister than when he was most polite.

He who attempts to make others believe in means which he himself despises is a puffer; he who makes use of more means than he knows to be necessary is a quack; and he who ascribes to those means a greater efficacy than his own experience warrants is an impostor.

The fawning courtier and the surly squire often mean the same thing,--each his own interest.

Oh, we're playing nice now? Shall we have tea first? Brew up a nice pot of kiss-my-ass?

The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.

Affectations can be dangerous.

Men sometimes think they hate flattery, but they hate only the manner of flattering.

Half the time she did things not simply, not for themselves; but to make people think this or that; perfect idiocy she knew for no one was ever for a second taken in.

Nobody ever completely means what they say. Even when they think they're telling the truth, there's always something hidden behind their words.

It never hurts to apologize, especially if you don't mean it.

Those who make use of devotion as a means and end generally are hypocrites.

I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath made me mad.

Ma was using her for-company voice. Sweet on the outside but with an underlying death threat.

When men think and believe in one set of symbols and act in ways which are contrary to their professed and conscious ideas, confusion and insincerity are bound to result.

Many undoubtedly owe their good fortune to the circumstance that they possess a pleasing smile with which they win hearts. Yet these hearts would do better to beware and to learn from Hamlet's tables that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.

You have to be 100% behind someone, before you can stab them in the back.

I never knew until I came here to Hollywood that somebody could be really nice to you for years and really hate your guts. Happens all the time here.

He could shake your hand and stab you in the back at the same time.

I see time away hasn’t made you any more charming. (Fang) Oh, I can be charming. I just choose not to. People start to think you like them, then when you stab them in the back, they take it so personally. Really pisses me off. (Thorn)

Sometimes I can't tell that someone is a selective asshole because they're so nice to me and the people around me that I don't realize it until someone else says, "You know, that person is an asshole." So I'll be fooled by selective assholes sometimes . . . lately.

In Leon's account of his life, no-one was mean-spirited, no-one schemed or lied or betrayed; everyone was celebrated at least in some degree... Leon turned out to be a spineless, grinning idiot.

I spent the whole time battering people I liked and singing with my arm round people I loathed.