The only shame is to have none
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Scandal is merely the compassionate allowance which the gay make to the humdrum. Think how many blameless lives are brightened by the blazing indiscretions of other people.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
Honor and shame from no condition rise; act well your part—there all the honor lies.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Mortifications are often more painful than real calamities.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
He scratched his ear, the infallible resource to which embarrassed people have recourse.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Old maids sweeten their tea with scandal.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Sin hath the devil for its father, shame for its companion, and death for its wages
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
See! those fiendish lineaments graven on the darkness, the writhed lip of scorn, the mockery of that living eye, the pointed finger, touching the sore place in your heart! Do you remember any act of enormous folly, at which you would blush, even in the remotest cavern of the earth? Then recognize your Shame.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
The man that blushes is not quite a brute.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Of all kinds of shame, the worst, surely, is being ashamed of frugality or poverty.
—Livy (Titus Livius) (59 BCE–17 CE) Roman Historian
Certain it is that scandal is good brisk talk, whereas praise of one’s neighbor is by no means lively hearing. An acquaintance grilled, scored, devilled, and served with mustard and cayenne pepper excites the appetite; whereas a slice of cold friend with currant jelly is but a sickly, unrelishing meat.
—William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63) English Novelist
Where the mind is past hope, the heart is past shame.
—John Lyly (1554–1606) English Dramatist, Novelist, Writer
Be assured that when once a woman begins to be ashamed of what she ought not to be ashamed of, she will not be ashamed of what she ought.
—Livy (Titus Livius) (59 BCE–17 CE) Roman Historian
The embarrassing thing is that the salad dressing is out-grossing my films.
—Paul Newman (1925–2008) American Actor, Philanthropist
One of the misfortunes of our time is, that in getting rid of false shame, we have killed off so much real shame as well.
—Louis Kronenberger (1904–80) American Drama, Literary Critic
She is absolutely inadmissible into society. Many a woman has a past, but I am told that she has at least a dozen, and that they all fit.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
As blushing will sometimes make a whore pass for a virtuous woman, so modesty may make a fool seem a man of sense.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Shame is an unhappy emotion invented by pietists in order to exploit the human race.
—Blake Edwards (1922–2010) American Film Director, Producer, Screenwriter
Less shame a greater fault would palliate.
—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) Italian Poet, Philosopher
Study carefully, the character of the one you recommend, lest their misconduct bring you shame.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Our jobs determine to a large extent what our lives are like. Is what you do for a living making you ill? Does it keep you from becoming a more fully realized person? Do you feel ashamed of what you have to do at work? All too often, the answer to such questions is yes. Yet it does not have to be like that. Work can be one of the most joyful, most fulfilling aspects of life. Whether it will be or not depends on the actions we collectively take.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
Shame may restrain what law does not prohibit.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The basis of shame is not some personal mistake of ours, but the ignominy, the humiliation we feel that we must be what we are without any choice in the matter, and that this humiliation is seen by everyone.
—Milan Kundera (b.1929) Czech Novelist
There’s a blush for won t, and a blush for shan’t, and a blush for having done it: There’s a blush for thought and a blush for naught, and a blush for just begun it.
—John Keats (1795–1821) English Poet
Victims may be defensive, submissive, over-accommodating to others, passive-aggressive in conflict, dependent on others for self-worth, overly sensitive, even manipulative. They’re often angry, resentful, and envious, feeling unworthy or ashamed about their circumstances. Have you ever felt or acted this way?
—David Emerald
Blush not now, said a distinguished Italian to his young relative whom he met coming out of a haunt of vice; the time to have blushed was when you went in.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Shame is worse than death.
—Russian Proverb
Avoid shame but do not seek glory—nothing so expensive as glory.
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Clergyman, Essayist, Wit
The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
While shame keeps watch virtue is not wholly extinguished from the heart, nor will moderation be utterly exiled from the mind of tyrants.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Gossip is charming! History is merely gossip. But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Shame is pride’s cloak.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
False shame only is harmful
—Livy (Titus Livius) (59 BCE–17 CE) Roman Historian
Everyone needs a sense of shame, but no one needs to feel ashamed.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
An event has happened, upon which it is difficult to speak, and impossible to be silent.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Here shame dissuades him, there his fear prevails, And each by turns his aching heart assails.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
A nightingale dies for shame if another bird sings better.
—Robert Burton (1577–1640) English Scholar, Clergyman
If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
There are persons who, when they cease to shock us, cease to interest us.
—F. H. Bradley (1846–1924 ) British Idealist Philosopher
We live in an atmosphere of shame. We are ashamed of everything that is real about us; ashamed of ourselves, of our relatives, of our incomes, of our accents, of our opinions, of our experience, just as we are ashamed of our naked skins.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Girls blush, sometimes, because they are alive, half wishing they were dead to save the shame. The sudden blush devours them, neck and brow; They have drawn too near the fire of life, like gnats, and flare up bodily, wings and all. What then? Who’s sorry for a gnat or girl?
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–61) English Poet
Shame is an ornament to the young; a disgrace to the old.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Shame is a great restraint upon sinners at first; but that soon falls off: and when men have once lost their innocence, their modesty is not like to be long troublesome to them. For impudence comes on with vice, and grows up with it. Lesser vices do not banish all shame and modesty; but great and abominable crimes harden men’s foreheads, and make them shameless. When men have the heart to do a very bad thing, they seldom want the face to bear it out.
—John Tillotson
What is the seal of attained freedom? -No longer being ashamed in front of oneself.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
I regard that man as lost, who has lost his sense of shame.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Where shame is, there is also fear.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater