As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
O that men's ears should be To counsel deaf but not to flattery!
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that people often ignore wise advice while being quick to listen to flattery.
In this quote, Shakespeare laments the tendency of individuals to be oblivious to sound counsel while being readily receptive to flattery. It highlights a universal human flaw where praise and empty compliments often overshadow valuable, truthful advice. By wishing for people to be more attentive to genuine guidance rather than superficial praise, Shakespeare underscores the importance of discerning wisdom over empty words.
Themes
WisdomCounselFlatteryAdviceHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on the importance of critical thinking in decision-making.
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