--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A reproach can only hurt if it hits the…" description: "\"A reproach can only hurt if it hits the mark. Whoever knows that he does not deserve a reproach can treat it with contempt.\" — Arthur Schopenhauer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/arthur-schopenhauer-226_contempt_a-reproach-can-only-hurt-if-it-hits-the_2630228.jpg" --- # A reproach can only hurt if it hits the mark. Whoever… ![“A reproach can only hurt if it hits the mark. Whoever knows that he does not deserve a reproach can treat it with contempt.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/arthur-schopenhauer-226_contempt_a-reproach-can-only-hurt-if-it-hits-the_2630228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/arthur-schopenhauer-226_contempt_a-reproach-can-only-hurt-if-it-hits-the_2630228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/arthur-schopenhauer-226_contempt_a-reproach-can-only-hurt-if-it-hits-the_2630228.jpg) > “A reproach can only hurt if it hits the mark. Whoever knows that he does not deserve a reproach can treat it with contempt.” [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A reproach only hurts if it is accurate; knowing one is undeserving allows contempt. **In simple terms:** Reproach hurts if deserved. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑worth to dismiss false blame. Themes self‑esteem criticism contempt psychology Mood reflective assertive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace feedback - personal relationships - public criticism Key Concepts self‑validation resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate valid from invalid reproach? - What protects self‑esteem? A Different Perspective May ignore constructive criticism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Deserve Reproach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve-reproach-2183392/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [Reproach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproach/) [Reproach Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproach-hurt-2183393/) [Reproach Treat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproach-treat-2183394/) [Treat Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-contempt-1523112/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) ## Related quotes > [“What matters is not what we seem to a random group, but what we know we are. In Schopenhauer’s words: ‘Every reproach can hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/what-matters-is-not-what-we-seem-to-a-random-group-but-what-we-know/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Not caring how you look is but a brief step away from not caring what you do or how you treat people. And surely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-lee-potter/not-caring-how-you-look-is-but-a-brief-step-away-from-not-caring-what/) [Lynda Lee-Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-lee-potter/) > [All the stuff that I used to treat with contempt - you know, I'm an artist, man, I don't do that family stuff -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moody/all-the-stuff-that-i-used-to-treat-with-contempt-you-know-i-m-an/) [Rick Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moody/) > [Danger comes on us more speedily when we treat it with contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/danger-comes-on-us-more-speedily-when-we-treat-it-with-contempt/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [When we see people as losers, we treat them with contempt. When we see them as lost, we treat them with compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-horner/when-we-see-people-as-losers-we-treat-them-with-contempt-when-we-see/) [Bob Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-horner/) > [Everybody Moral courage is a virtue of higher cast and nobler origin than physical. 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What reproach in the contrary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/what-praise-is-implied-in-the-simple-epithet-useful-what-reproach-in/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Neither reproaches nor encouragements are able to revive a faith that is waning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalie-sarraute/neither-reproaches-nor-encouragements-are-able-to-revive-a-faith-that/) [Nathalie Sarraute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalie-sarraute/) > [A calm despair, without angry convulsions or reproaches directed at heaven, is the essence of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/a-calm-despair-without-angry-convulsions-or-reproaches-directed-at/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [In Minnesota, we hold our leaders to a higher standard. We demand that the men and women we send to Washington stand above reproach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-bills/in-minnesota-we-hold-our-leaders-to-a-higher-standard-we-demand-that/) [Kurt Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-bills/) > [I only asked my friends to be friendly and polite, I found them indifferent and censorious; The one I left to silence, the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-smith/i-only-asked-my-friends-to-be-friendly-and-polite-i-found-them/) [Stevie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-smith/) > [One's conscience reproaches one much more stingingly for one's follies than one's crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-jewsbury/one-s-conscience-reproaches-one-much-more-stingingly-for-one-s/) [Geraldine Jewsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-jewsbury/) ## More by Arthur Schopenhauer > [Virtue is as little to be acquired by learning as genius; nay, the idea is barren, and is only to be employed as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/virtue-is-as-little-to-be-acquired-by-learning-as-genius-nay-the-idea/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“In accordance with such zeal, by reducing the external world to a matter of faith, he wanted merely to open a little door for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-accordance-with-such-zeal-by-reducing-the-external-world-to-a/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Imitation and custom are the spring of almost all human action. 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Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/) [Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/contempt-for-an-assailant-is-best-shown-by-bravery-in-action/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Statuettes of drunken sailors, velvet pictures of island maidens, plastic seashell lamps made in Taiwan. 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