When it’s your own fault, things hurt worse than when someone else is to blame.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Whatever side I take, I know well that I will be blamed.
—Louis XIV of France (1638–1715) King of France
A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the
blame and a little less than his share of the credit.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
How we love to blame others for our misfortunes! Almost every individual who has lost money in stock speculation has on the tip of his tongue an explanation which he trots out to show that it wasn’t his own fault at all … Hardly one loser has the manliness to say frankly, “I was wrong”.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
There is luxury in self-reproach. When we blame ourselves, we feel no one else has a right to blame us.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Some praise at morning what they blame at night, But always think the last opinion right.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
I praise loudly. I blame softly.
—Catherine II of Russia (1729–96) Russian Empress
The search for someone to blame is always successful.
—Robert Half
It is more difficult to praise rightly than to blame.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you. The only thing blame does is to keep the focus off you when you are looking for external reasons to explain your unhappiness or frustration. You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won’t succeed in changing whatever it is about you that is making you unhappy.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
There can be no doubt that the average man blames much more than he praises. His instinct is to blame. If he is satisfied he says nothing; if he is not, he most illogically kicks up a row.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
Neither blame or praise yourself.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
A man may fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.
—John Burroughs (1837–1921) American Naturalist, Writer
It was by music that the ancient kings gave elegant expression to their joy. By their armies and axes they gave the same to their anger.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
We must remember not to judge any public servant by any one act, and especially should we beware of attacking the men who are merely the occasions and not the cause of disaster.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
Sometimes I lie awake at night and ask why me? Then a voice answers nothing personal, your name just happened to come up.
—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) American Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
A bad workman always blames his tools.
—Common Proverb
Be plain in dress, and sober in your diet; In short, my dear, kiss me and be quiet.
—Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689–1762) English Aristocrat, Poet, Novelist, Writer
If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.
—Unknown
Draw the curtain, the fraud is over.
—Francois Rabelais (1494–1553) French Humanist, Satirist
They have a right to censure that have a heart to help.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
Democracy is the process by which people choose the man who’ll get the blame.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Don’t blame the mirror if your face is faulty.
—Anonymous
Everything I do you blame on me.
—Unknown
There’s man all over for you, blaming on his boots the fault of his feet.
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) Irish Novelist, Playwright
No one to blame! That was why most people led lives they hated, with people they hated. How wonderful to have someone to blame! How wonderful to live with one’s nemesis! You may be miserable, but you feel forever in the right. You may be fragmented, but you feel absolved of all the blame for it. Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.
—Erica Jong (b.1942) American Novelist, Feminist
History is the story of events, with praise or blame.
—Cotton Mather (1662–1728) American Clergyman
When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four of his fingers are pointing to himself.
—Louis Nizer (1902–1994) American Lawyer, Author
People blame their environment. There is only one person to blame—and only one—themselves.
—Robert Collier (1885–1950) American Self-Help Author
The first mistake are theirs who commit them, the second are theirs that permit them.
—Common Proverb
Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
Blame is safer than praise.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
I envy people who drink – at least they know what to blame everything on.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
Better reality than a dream: if something is real, then it’s real and you’re not to blame.
—Umberto Eco (1932–2016) Italian Novelist
It is rascally to steal a purse, daring to steal a million, and a proof of greatness to steal a crown. The blame diminishes as the guilt increases.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Blame is a lazy man’s wages.
—Danish Proverb
If there is not even a single leaf on the branches of Karir tree, how can the spring season be held responsible? Why should the Sun be blamed if owl cannot see during the day? Is it the fault of cloud if the drops of rain do not fall into the mouth of Chataka bird? Who is able to erase what’s already written by fate on one’s forehead?
—Chanakya Neeti Anthology of Indian Aphorisms
Blame it on a simple twist of fate.
—Bob Dylan (b.1941) American Singer-songwriter
He has great tranquillity of heart who cares neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of men.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
We believe that to err is human. To blame it on someone else is politics.
—Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) American Head of State, Politician
Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Whatever task you undertake, do it with all your heart and soul. Always be courteous, never be discouraged. Beware of him who promises something for nothing. Do not blame anybody for your mistakes and failures. Do not look for approval except the consciousness of doing your best.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
In passing, also, I would like to say that the first time Adam had a chance he laid the blame on woman.
—Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor (1879–1964) American-born British Politician
Children usually do not blame themselves for getting lost.
—Anna Freud (1895–1982) Austrian-British Child Psychoanalyst
When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look into the reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and arguments. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.
—Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) Vietnamese Buddhist Religious Leader, Teacher, Author, Peace Activist
To find fault, is easy; to do better may be difficult.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Things that are done, it is needless to speak about … things that are past, it is needless to blame.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
An expert is someone called in at the last minute to share the blame.
—Sam Ewing (b.1949) American Sportsperson
You can be a victim or you can be rich, but you can’t be both. Listen up! Every time, and I mean every time, you blame, justify, or complain, you are slitting your financial throat.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author