Oscar Wilde Quotes

People only speak to get something.

The fellow that agrees with everything you say is either a fool or he is getting ready to skin you.

All flatterers live at the expense of those who listen to them.

Flattery and deceit are the darlings of great men, and so with these men spread the butter on thick, if you want to get something out of them, otherwise you'll come home to me with a full belly and an empty purse.

Kindness is weak when you use it in a self-serving manner. Self-serving kindness is thin - people can see right through it when a kind leader has an agenda.

People may or may not say what they mean... but they always say something designed to get what they want.

There have been many great men that have flattered the people who ne'er loved them.

The majority of people call or message me because they need something or they want something. You never know what people's intentions are.

Flattery in courtship is the highest insolence, for whilst it pretends to bestow on you more than you deserve, it is watching an opportunity to take from you what you really have.

Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver.

If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs.

I was nice to the people in the Philippines for the two and a half years I was there, because I knew eventually I'd have to kiss up to them so my grandchildren could have toys.

Usually we praise only to be praised.

I don't for one second spend any time thinking about carefully ingratiating myself with someone for the future.

You've just got to be wary around people. You don't know what they want from you. Just in L.A., people have questionable motives. Everybody's kind of got an angle. You've got to be aware of that.

I don't think it's good to interact with people with a certain agenda in mind.

A politician normally flatters you in your face and criticises you behind your back.

Gratitude, in most men, is only a strong and secret hope of greater favors.

Learn that every flatterer Lives at the flattered listeners cost.

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

All flatterers are mercenary, and all low-minded men are flatterers.

Flattery pleases very generally. In the first place, the flatterer may think what he says to be true; but, in the second place, whether he thinks so or not, he certainly thinks those whom he flatters of consequence enough to be flattered.

The love of admiration leads to fraud, much more than the love of commendation; but, on the other hand, the latter is much more likely to spoil our: good actions by the substitution of an inferior motive.

There is hook in every benefit, that sticks in his jaws that takes that benefit, and draws him whither the benefactor will.

We do not like to praise, and seldom praise anyone without self-interest.