---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those that say they despise riches are…"
description: "\"Those that say they despise riches are saints or liars.\" — Austin O'Malley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg"
---

#  Those that say they despise riches are saints or liars.

![“Those that say they despise riches are saints or liars.” quote by Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg)

> “Those that say they despise riches are saints or liars.”

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People who claim to hate wealth are either morally pure or deceitful, highlighting a paradox in judging motives.

**In simple terms:** Hating wealth reveals moral or dishonest motives.

Key Takeaway

Question motives behind statements about wealth.

Themes

morality wealth honesty hypocrisy

Mood

skeptical thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical provocative

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- personal reflection
- media analysis

Key Concepts

Ethical paradox social critique

Questions to Reflect On

- Is it possible to dislike wealth without hypocrisy?
- What does this say about moral judgment?

A Different Perspective

The statement oversimplifies complex attitudes toward wealth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riches/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/)

## Related quotes

> [Many speak the truth when they say that they despise riches, but they mean the riches possessed by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/many-speak-the-truth-when-they-say-that-they-despise-riches-but-they/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [Believe not much them that seem to despise riches, for they despise them that despair of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believe-not-much-them-that-seem-to-despise-riches-for-they-despise/)

[Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/)

> [To despise riches, may, indeed, be philosophic, but to dispense them worthily, must surely be more beneficial to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-burney/to-despise-riches-may-indeed-be-philosophic-but-to-dispense-them/)

[Fanny Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-burney/)

> [I'm finally old enough to say I despise today's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-finally-old-enough-to-say-i-despise-today-s-music/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“To despise riches, may, indeed, be philosophic, but to dispense them worthily, surely, must be more beneficial to mankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-burney/to-despise-riches-may-indeed-be-philosophic-but-to-dispense-them-2/)

[Frances Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-burney/)

> [Some liars are so expert they deceive themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/some-liars-are-so-expert-they-deceive-themselves/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [I despise a person of little mind - one might as well not have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-dunham-kelley-hawkins/i-despise-a-person-of-little-mind-one-might-as-well-not-have-any/)

Emma Dunham Kelley-Hawkins

> [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/)

[Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/)

> [I agree that biphobia is real, but I think it's absolutely worth considering that someone who "despises" having sex with her husband - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-agree-that-biphobia-is-real-but-i-think-it-s-absolutely-worth/)

[Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/)

> [Everyone has conscience enough to hate; few have religion enough to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/everyone-has-conscience-enough-to-hate-few-have-religion-enough-to/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/)

[Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/)

> [“You don’t know what it’s like to worry you’ll start to despise the people who help you, the ones you should love, because they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-guzeman/you-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-worry-you-ll-start-to-despise-the/)

[Tracy Guzeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-guzeman/)

> [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [My whole life has conspired to bring me to this place, and I can’t despise my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/my-whole-life-has-conspired-to-bring-me-to-this-place-and-i-can-t/)

[Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/)

## More by Austin O'Malley

> [Sermons are like pie-crust, the shorter the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/sermons-are-like-pie-crust-the-shorter-the-better/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [You can swim in life and seawater, but both are hard to swallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/you-can-swim-in-life-and-seawater-but-both-are-hard-to-swallow/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Law is the rudder of the ship of state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/law-is-the-rudder-of-the-ship-of-state/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [A woman, like a cross-eyed man, looks one way, but goes another--hence her mysteriousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-woman-like-a-cross-eyed-man-looks-one-way-but-goes-another-hence/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Religion often gets credit for curing rascals when old age is the real medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/religion-often-gets-credit-for-curing-rascals-when-old-age-is-the/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Charity is the note that resolves the discord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/charity-is-the-note-that-resolves-the-discord/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [We must be laid like a brand in the fire ... if we would gain immortal youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/we-must-be-laid-like-a-brand-in-the-fire-if-we-would-gain-immortal/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [If you snub Conscience a few times she will cut your acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/if-you-snub-conscience-a-few-times-she-will-cut-your-acquaintance/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [A hole is nothing at all, but you can break your neck in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-hole-is-nothing-at-all-but-you-can-break-your-neck-in-it/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [A drunkard is like a whiskey-bottle, all neck and belly and no head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-drunkard-is-like-a-whiskey-bottle-all-neck-and-belly-and-no-head/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Power should answer by action, not by speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/power-should-answer-by-action-not-by-speech/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Charity is the only lubricant that keeps the axle of the world creaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/charity-is-the-only-lubricant-that-keeps-the-axle-of-the-world/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Reason clears and plants the wilderness of the imagination to harvest the wheat of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/reason-clears-and-plants-the-wilderness-of-the-imagination-to-harvest/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Some men are like a church-organ -- you can play on them for a lifetime and always find new harmonies; others are like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/some-men-are-like-a-church-organ-you-can-play-on-them-for-a-lifetime/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

> [Laws are made by the old, exceptions by the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/laws-are-made-by-the-old-exceptions-by-the-young/)

[Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

[Explore all 207 Austin O'Malley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/)

## More Despise quotes

> [My whole life has conspired to bring me to this place, and I can’t despise my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/my-whole-life-has-conspired-to-bring-me-to-this-place-and-i-can-t/)

[Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/)

> [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [“You don’t know what it’s like to worry you’ll start to despise the people who help you, the ones you should love, because they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-guzeman/you-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-worry-you-ll-start-to-despise-the/)

[Tracy Guzeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-guzeman/)

> [Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/never-despise-a-drink-because-it-is-easy-to-make-and-or-uses/)

[Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/)

> [Everyone has conscience enough to hate; few have religion enough to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/everyone-has-conscience-enough-to-hate-few-have-religion-enough-to/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [I agree that biphobia is real, but I think it's absolutely worth considering that someone who "despises" having sex with her husband - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-agree-that-biphobia-is-real-but-i-think-it-s-absolutely-worth/)

[Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/)

> [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/)

[Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/)

> [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I despise a person of little mind - one might as well not have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-dunham-kelley-hawkins/i-despise-a-person-of-little-mind-one-might-as-well-not-have-any/)

Emma Dunham Kelley-Hawkins

> [I despise computers in many ways. I think they’re hopelessly underevolved and overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-despise-computers-in-many-ways-i-think-they-re-hopelessly/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [With the single exception of Homer, there is no eminent writer, not even Sir Walter Scott, whom I can despise so entirely as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/with-the-single-exception-of-homer-there-is-no-eminent-writer-not/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that I despise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/i-despise-the-pleasure-of-pleasing-people-that-i-despise/)

[Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/)

> [It was beautiful and rare, and you have every right to despise me." She stood pressed to the wall, not moving. "When you came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/it-was-beautiful-and-rare-and-you-have-every-right-to-despise-me-she/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [“I'm really starting to despise good -nights and good -byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mi-juan-yu-tu/i-m-really-starting-to-despise-good-nights-and-good-byes/)

Mi Juan Yu tu

> [But miserable most, to love unloved? This you should pity rather than despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-miserable-most-to-love-unloved-this-you-should-pity-rather-than/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

Browse all 918 Despise quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Those that say they despise riches are saints or liars.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Austin O'Malley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-saints-or-liars/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Despise"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-saints-or-liars/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a6/austin-o-malley-1805_despise_those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-s_1899999.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Those that say they despise riches are saints or liars.” — Austin O'Malley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Austin O'Malley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Those that say they despise riches...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-saints-or-liars/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/those-that-say-they-despise-riches-are-saints-or-liars/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```