Milan Kundera Quotes

Irony is the recourse of the weak-minded wimp, I think. I hate bands that deliver their songs with knowing smiles on their faces, so that if those songs fall flat they can say 'Ah well, we never really meant it anyway.' It's so dishonest.

Never trust a man who lays his hand on his heart when he assures you of anything.

A man of such obvious and exemplary charm must be a liar.

I was raised to be charming, not sincere.

I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don't trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day in the week, if there is anything to be got by it.

Always be sincere, even if you don't mean it.

Some people will lie to you because they mean to. Others will do it to tell you what you want to hear.

I saw him turn his charm on and off, like water from the tap at the kitchen sink. He said nothing of substance. He seemed to me essentially an actor.

It might be said that the pose of absolute honesty is the most dishonest one of all.

I call people 'captain' a lot and it makes them feel special. Until they hear me using it for everyone, that is.

We're against hypocrisy, lies, bigotry, show business, insincerity, phonies, and fakers.

The truth is always an insult or a joke, lies are generally tastier. We love them. The nature of lies is to please. Truth has no concern for anyone's comfort

A half-truth is the most cowardly of lies.

I am sincere, ma petite, even when I lie.

The worst crime I could think of would be to pull people off by faking it, pretending as if I'm having 100% fun.

Deception, flattering, lying, deluding, talking behind the back, putting up a false front, living in borrowed splendor, wearing a mask, hiding behind convention, playing a role for others and for oneself -- in short, a continuous fluttering around the solitary flame of vanity -- is so much the rule and the law among men that there is almost nothing which is less comprehensible than how an honest and pure drive for truth could have arisen among them.

You take the lies out of him, and he'll shrink to the size of your hat; you take the malice out of him, and he'll disappear.

I ain't the captain of the yacht, but I'm on the boat; I ain't acting what I'm not, knowing that I don't. You niggaz acting like you will, but I know you won't. Man, I read between the lines of the eyes of your brows, Your handshake ain't matchin your smile.

Adults end up shading things and shading the truth, and you end up lying and telling people what they want to hear.

Never trust people who smile constantly. They're either selling something or not very bright.

Bad faith makes the most of every ambiguity.

Man is ice to truth and fire to falsehood.

What have I eaten? Lies and smiles.

I'm not always sincere. One can't be in this world, you know.

Some liars are so expert they deceive themselves.