The worst indignity is to be given a bedpan by a stranger who calls you by your first name.
—Maggie Kuhn (1905–95) American Social Activist
I get no respect. The way my luck is running, if I was a politician I would be honest.
—Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004) American Comedian, Actor, Writer
Fools take to themselves the respect that is given to their office.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Having chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear and with manly hearts.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Respect for ones parents is the highest duty of civil life.
—Chinese Proverb
We ought not to treat living creatures like shoes or household belongings, which when worn with use we throw away.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Honest people will respect us for our merit: the public, for our luck.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
One of the surprising things in this world is the respect a worthless man has for himself.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Reverence is one of the signs of strength, irreverence one of the surest indications of weakness. No man will rise high who jeers at sacred things. The fine loyalties of life must be reverenced or they will be fore sworn in the day of trial.
—Unknown
There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
A mere literary man is a dull man; a man who is solely a man of business is a selfish man; but when literature and commerce are united, they make a respectable man.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
A celebrated people lose dignity upon a closer view.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Good resolutions are useless attempts to interfere with scientific laws. Their origin is pure vanity. Their result is absolutely nil. They give us, now and then, some of those luxurious sterile emotions that have a certain charm for the weak. They a.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Respect the burden.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Attention and respect give pleasure, however late, or however useless. But they are not useless, when they are late, it is reasonable to rejoice, as the day declines, to find that it has been spent with the approbation of mankind.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Well, dearie, men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability. But you can’t blame them for that, can you?
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader
Men are respectable only as they respect.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The myths have always condemned those who “looked back.” Condemned them, whatever the paradise may have been which they were leaving. Hence this shadow over each departure from your decision.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
We owe respect to the living. To the dead we owe only truth.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
The inquiry in England is not whether a man has talents and genius, but whether he is passive and polite and a virtuous ass and obedient to noblemen’s opinions in art and science. If he is, he is a good man. If not, he must be starved.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
In order to acquire a growing and lasting respect in society, it is a good thing, if you possess great talent, to give, early in your youth, a very hard kick to the right shin of the society that you love. After that, be a snob.
—Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter
Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Novelist
If you steal something small you are a petty thief, but if you steal millions you are a gentleman of society.
—Greek Proverb
Treating your adversary with respect is giving him an advantage to which he is not entitled.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Prestige is the shadow of money and power. Where these are, there it is. Like the national market for soap or automobiles and the enlarged arena of federal power, the national cash-in area for prestige has grown, slowly being consolidated into a truly national system.
—C. Wright Mills (1916–62) American Sociologist, Academic
If you have some respect for people as they are, you can be more effective in helping them to become better than they are.
—John W. Gardner (1912–2002) American Activist
I shall be glad when you have strangled the invincible respectability that dogs your steps.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Critic
Where there is reverence there is fear, but there is not reverence everywhere that there is fear, because fear presumably has a wider extension than reverence.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
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