--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who claims to have an entirely…" description: "\"Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is almost certainly a bore.\" — Bernard Cornwell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg" --- # Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is… ![“Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is almost certainly a bore.” quote by Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg) > “Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is almost certainly a bore.” [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claiming perfect moral purity is boring because it lacks depth, conflict, and humanity. **In simple terms:** Absolute innocence is uninteresting. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and self-awareness. Themes morality humility self-awareness conflict humanity Mood thoughtful critical humorous Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - leadership - creative writing - ethical debates Key Concepts ethical complexity personal growth authenticity Questions to Reflect On - When have you judged yourself too harshly? - How does vulnerability foster connection? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can hinder growth and empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Almost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/almost/) [Anyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anyone/) [Bore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bore/) [Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly/) [Certainly Bore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-bore-5768386/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Clear conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-conscience/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-certainly-3342657/) [Entirely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entirely/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [“My conscience certainly feels like it's been spiked with moral Rohypnol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/my-conscience-certainly-feels-like-it-s-been-spiked-with-moral/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [I'm fortunate that the books sell, but even more fortunate to live in Chatham, to be very happily married and to have, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/i-m-fortunate-that-the-books-sell-but-even-more-fortunate-to-live-in/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [Well this would have been a much more sribualous weekend. In any case spring is well in hand and summer is at the doorstep.We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-this-would-have-been-a-much-more-sribualous-weekend-in-any-case/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A consoling thought: what matters is not what we do, but the spirit in which we do it. Others suffer too; so much so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/a-consoling-thought-what-matters-is-not-what-we-do-but-the-spirit-in/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Regardless of nationality, all men are brothers. God is "our Father who art in heaven." The commandment "Thou shalt not kill" is unconditional and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-salmon/regardless-of-nationality-all-men-are-brothers-god-is-our-father-who/) [Ben Salmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-salmon/) > [Veganism gives us all the opportunity to say what we "stand for" in life- the ideal of healthy, humane living. Add decades to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-watson/veganism-gives-us-all-the-opportunity-to-say-what-we-stand-for-in/) [Donald Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-watson/) > [I know the rules and have a clear conscience. I'm an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-cowles/i-know-the-rules-and-have-a-clear-conscience-i-m-an-atheist/) [Rock Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-cowles/) > [People who have tried it, tell me that a clear conscience makes you very happy and contented; but a full stomach does the business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/people-who-have-tried-it-tell-me-that-a-clear-conscience-makes-you/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“I know that no one is my judge. I live according to my own conscience and value discernments which are governed by Holy Spirit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishi-mccoy/i-know-that-no-one-is-my-judge-i-live-according-to-my-own-conscience/) [Mishi McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishi-mccoy/) > [There is nothing in the world that could make me turn from the law. With a clear conscience, I am prepared to answer for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djemal-pasha/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-that-could-make-me-turn-from-the-law/) [Djemal Pasha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djemal-pasha/) > [What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/what-can-be-added-to-the-happiness-of-a-man-who-is-in-health-out-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“We must have clean air and water, and beautiful natural foods for everyone, everywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-must-have-clean-air-and-water-and-beautiful-natural-foods-for/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and that is to have either a clear conscience or none at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/there-is-only-one-way-to-achieve-happiness-on-this-terrestrial-ball/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [A clear conscience is the softest pillow in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-r-narayana-murthy/a-clear-conscience-is-the-softest-pillow-in-the-world/) [N. R. Narayana Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-r-narayana-murthy/) > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) ## More by Bernard Cornwell > [“They laughed, but I was melancholy. The remnants of Rome always make me sad, simply because they are proof that we slide inexorably towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/they-laughed-but-i-was-melancholy-the-remnants-of-rome-always-make-me/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Some mothers soften their sons, but Osbert was motherless and I had raised him hard because a man must be hard. The world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/some-mothers-soften-their-sons-but-osbert-was-motherless-and-i-had/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Enemies come soon enough in a mans life,' he told me, 'you don't need to seek them out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/enemies-come-soon-enough-in-a-mans-life-he-told-me-you-don-t-need-to/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Wyrd bi ful aræd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/wyrd-bi-ful-ar-d/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“‎"He sang the song of the sword, keening as he fed his blade, and Rollo, standing thigh-deep in the creek, ax swinging in murderous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/he-sang-the-song-of-the-sword-keening-as-he-fed-his-blade-and-rollo/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“A battle in the shield wall. It's smelling your enemy's breath while he tries to disembowel you with an axe, it's blood and shit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/a-battle-in-the-shield-wall-it-s-smelling-your-enemy-s-breath-while/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [I'll happily mentor anyone who wants mentoring, and most of that goes on by internet rather than face to face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/i-ll-happily-mentor-anyone-who-wants-mentoring-and-most-of-that-goes/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Nor did he care about his childhood, for certainly I never heard him speak of it. I once questioned him about his early days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/nor-did-he-care-about-his-childhood-for-certainly-i-never-heard-him/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Calix meus inebrians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/calix-meus-inebrians/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“And we screamed. We screamed our war cry, our shout of slaughter, our joy of being men in battle who are driven by terror.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/and-we-screamed-we-screamed-our-war-cry-our-shout-of-slaughter-our/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [It's fun. I sit down every day and tell stories. Some folk would kill to get that chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/it-s-fun-i-sit-down-every-day-and-tell-stories-some-folk-would-kill/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“You will tell him that Uhtred of Bebbanburg is in a mood to kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/you-will-tell-him-that-uhtred-of-bebbanburg-is-in-a-mood-to-kill/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Priests come to my home beside the northern sea where they find an old man, and they tell me I am just a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/priests-come-to-my-home-beside-the-northern-sea-where-they-find-an/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“An English man-at-arms had his helmet split open and his skull with it, so that he rode wavering from the fight, blood pouring down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/an-english-man-at-arms-had-his-helmet-split-open-and-his-skull-with/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“Instinct is everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/instinct-is-everything/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) [Explore all 171 Bernard Cornwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) ## More Almost quotes > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [Harry Truman wrote scathing letters, but he almost never sent them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/harry-truman-wrote-scathing-letters-but-he-almost-never-sent-them/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [It's almost inevitable there's going to be an escalation on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-luther/it-s-almost-inevitable-there-s-going-to-be-an-escalation-on-both-sides/) [Bill Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-luther/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [If you watch wrestling, you now know the hip-hop culture is being represented with wrestling. For the longest time, the cultures have almost been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/if-you-watch-wrestling-you-now-know-the-hip-hop-culture-is-being/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [Almost every Monday I have a charity thing. I like that. I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/almost-every-monday-i-have-a-charity-thing-i-like-that-i-do/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Almost immediately, I remember right when Tikrit even fell, a few days after Baghdad fell, there was talks of insurgency, there was talks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farnaz-fassihi/almost-immediately-i-remember-right-when-tikrit-even-fell-a-few-days/) [Farnaz Fassihi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farnaz-fassihi/) > [While it is often true that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, it seems like Yahoo's almost obsessive focus on Google is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/while-it-is-often-true-that-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-it/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [I'd had episodes before, but I swept them under the carpet. This time, I couldn't do that because everyone knew. I got on with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-kidder/i-d-had-episodes-before-but-i-swept-them-under-the-carpet-this-time-i/) [Margot Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-kidder/) > [I was hit by a car. I almost died. My show was taken away from me. I was frightened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-brennan/i-was-hit-by-a-car-i-almost-died-my-show-was-taken-away-from-me-i-was/) [Eileen Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-brennan/) > [With \*NSYNC, we shopped our deal for a year in America, sang a capella in everybody's office, then moved to Germany for almost two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jc-chasez/with-nsync-we-shopped-our-deal-for-a-year-in-america-sang-a-capella/) [JC Chasez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jc-chasez/) [Browse all 1,672 Almost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/almost/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is almost certainly a bore.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bernard Cornwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-clear-conscience-is-almost/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Almost" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-clear-conscience-is-almost/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29f/bernard-cornwell-1849_almost_anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-cl_2358709.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anyone who claims to have an entirely clear conscience is almost certainly a bore.” — Bernard Cornwell", "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": "Bernard Cornwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anyone who claims to have an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-clear-conscience-is-almost/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/anyone-who-claims-to-have-an-entirely-clear-conscience-is-almost/#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 } } ] } ```