--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pessimism like calumny is easy to do, and…" description: "\"Pessimism like calumny is easy to do, and attracts immediate attention. The gossiper and the writer may find this out soon enough, and a little encoura..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/bernard-berenson-14318_achieve_pessimism-like-calumny-is-easy-to-do-and_863375.jpg" --- # Pessimism like calumny is easy to do, and attracts… ![“Pessimism like calumny is easy to do, and attracts immediate attention. The gossiper and the writer may find this out soon enough, and a little encouragement from the current mood will procure them successes that bring endless imitators in their trail. On the other hand saying good things about…” quote by Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/bernard-berenson-14318_achieve_pessimism-like-calumny-is-easy-to-do-and_863375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/bernard-berenson-14318_achieve_pessimism-like-calumny-is-easy-to-do-and_863375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2d/bernard-berenson-14318_achieve_pessimism-like-calumny-is-easy-to-do-and_863375.jpg) > “Pessimism like calumny is easy to do, and attracts immediate attention. The gossiper and the writer may find this out soon enough, and a little encouragement from the current mood will procure them successes that bring endless imitators in their trail. On the other hand saying good things about life in general and individuals in particular and making it interesting is a serious task which few can achieve with credit.” [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizing is easy and attention‑grabbing; praising truth is harder but more valuable. **In simple terms:** Bad words get noticed; good words need effort. Key Takeaway Practice sincere, thoughtful praise. Themes criticism praise integrity Mood reflective thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - journalism - literary criticism - personal relationships Key Concepts Moral courage communication Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen honesty over popularity? - How can praise be made compelling? A Different Perspective Praising may be ignored or dismissed in a hostile climate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Life in general](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-in-general/) [Mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Soon enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-enough/) [Trails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trails/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I dare make those comparisons, but we often said 'the making of' would be as interesting if not more interesting than the film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-dare-make-those-comparisons-but-we-often-said-the-making-of-would/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [At the end of the day, what's going to make bitcoin successful is more people making more interesting things, just like the beginning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ehrsam/at-the-end-of-the-day-what-s-going-to-make-bitcoin-successful-is-more/) [Fred Ehrsam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ehrsam/) > [I guess as I get older, I'm kind of getting drawn to the things that I really love the most, which is trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/i-guess-as-i-get-older-i-m-kind-of-getting-drawn-to-the-things-that-i/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [The easier you make it look, the more difficult it is. Creating characters out of nothing, and making them interesting - and that's another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-collins/the-easier-you-make-it-look-the-more-difficult-it-is-creating/) [Jackie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-collins/) > [I think if you have a series for a long time, it's in some ways like being in a play with a long run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-savage/i-think-if-you-have-a-series-for-a-long-time-it-s-in-some-ways-like/) [Fred Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-savage/) > [The person tell stories to your children able making a interesting images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayte/the-person-tell-stories-to-your-children-able-making-a-interesting/) [Mayte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayte/) > [Neglected, calumny soon expires, show that you are hurt, and you give it the appearance of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/neglected-calumny-soon-expires-show-that-you-are-hurt-and-you-give-it/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Our credulity is greatest concerning the things we know least about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-credulity-is-greatest-concerning-the-things-we-know-least-about-2/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are calumnies against which even innocence loses courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/there-are-calumnies-against-which-even-innocence-loses-courage/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-thou-dost-marry-i-ll-give-thee-this-plague-for-thy-dowry-be-thou/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The world will never be long without some good reason to hate the unhappy; their real faults are immediately detected; and if those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-world-will-never-be-long-without-some-good-reason-to-hate-the/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [His calumny is not only the greatest benefit a rogue can confer on us, but the only service he will perform for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/his-calumny-is-not-only-the-greatest-benefit-a-rogue-can-confer-on-us/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [It is often better not to see an insult than to avenge it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-often-better-not-to-see-an-insult-than-to-avenge-it/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He has outsoared the shadow of our night; envy and calumny and hate and pain, and that unrest which men miscall delight, can touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/he-has-outsoared-the-shadow-of-our-night-envy-and-calumny-and-hate/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I never think it necessary to repeat calumnies; 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How can I regain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/who-will-free-me-from-hurry-flurry-the-feeling-of-a-crowd-pushing/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [I walk in the garden, I look at the flowers and shrubs and trees and discover in them an exquisiteness of contour, a vitality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/i-walk-in-the-garden-i-look-at-the-flowers-and-shrubs-and-trees-and/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [“A complete life may be one ending in so full identification with the non-self that there is no self to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/a-complete-life-may-be-one-ending-in-so-full-identification-with-the/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [Enemies could become the best companions. Companionship is based on a common interest, and the greater the interest the closer the companionship. What makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/enemies-could-become-the-best-companions-companionship-is-based-on-a/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [The average European does not seem to feel free until he succeeds in enslaving and oppressing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-average-european-does-not-seem-to-feel-free-until-he-succeeds-in/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [I am only a picture-taster, the way others are wine-or tea-tasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/i-am-only-a-picture-taster-the-way-others-are-wine-or-tea-tasters/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [“Consistency, commonly thought of as a good thing, requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/consistency-commonly-thought-of-as-a-good-thing-requires-you-to-be-as/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) [Explore all 47 Bernard Berenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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