--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: However a man who was honest and clever…" description: "\"However a man who was honest and clever was always, ALWAYS more difficult to scam than someone who was both dishonest and clever. Sincerity. It was so ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg" --- # However a man who was honest and clever was always, ALWAYS… ![“However a man who was honest and clever was always, ALWAYS more difficult to scam than someone who was both dishonest and clever. Sincerity. It was so difficult , by definition, to fake.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg) > “However a man who was honest and clever was always, ALWAYS more difficult to scam than someone who was both dishonest and clever. Sincerity. It was so difficult , by definition, to fake.” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Honesty combined with intelligence makes a person harder to deceive than a clever but dishonest person because sincerity cannot be convincingly faked. **In simple terms:** Honest clever people resist scams better than dishonest clever people. Key Takeaway Value honesty and intelligence together. Themes integrity trust deception intelligence Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal relationships - online transactions - team leadership Key Concepts ethical behavior psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you verify someone's sincerity? - What safeguards protect against clever deceit? A Different Perspective Even honest people can be manipulated if they lack critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Scams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scams/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [Intelligence makes sincerity difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/intelligence-makes-sincerity-difficult/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The strength of prayer lies in our sincerity.The most difficult phases in life is not when no one understands you, it is when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-strength-of-prayer-lies-in-our-sincerity-the-most-difficult/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Just because he interprets things differently from you or me does not mean he's being dishonest when he expresses his view.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/just-because-he-interprets-things-differently-from-you-or-me-does-not/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“It was a hard struggle, but what I have in life I have earned with my own hands. I have done well, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-ryrie-brink/it-was-a-hard-struggle-but-what-i-have-in-life-i-have-earned-with-my/) [Carol Ryrie Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-ryrie-brink/) > [“There's one way to find out if a man is honest: ask him; if he says yes, you know he's crooked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-s-one-way-to-find-out-if-a-man-is-honest-ask-him-if-he-says-yes-2/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [By Liberty I understand the Power which every Man has over his own Actions, and his Right to enjoy the Fruits of his Labour,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/by-liberty-i-understand-the-power-which-every-man-has-over-his-own/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) > [The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/the-trite-saying-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-has-met-with-the/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/the-real-honest-man-is-honest-from-conviction-of-what-is-right-not/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [A man can be honest in any sort of skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/a-man-can-be-honest-in-any-sort-of-skin/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Surely, 'tis one step towards acting well, to think worthily of our nature; and as in common life, the way to make a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/surely-tis-one-step-towards-acting-well-to-think-worthily-of-our/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [A rich man is an honest man--no thanks to him; for he would be a double knave, to cheat mankind when he had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/a-rich-man-is-an-honest-man-no-thanks-to-him-for-he-would-be-a-double/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [Young man: Be honest; train yourself for useful work; love God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-s-hershey/young-man-be-honest-train-yourself-for-useful-work-love-god/) [Milton S. Hershey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-s-hershey/) > [Give a wise man an honest brief to plead and his eloquence is no remarkable achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/give-a-wise-man-an-honest-brief-to-plead-and-his-eloquence-is-no/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [“There’s one way to find out if a man is honest—ask him. If he says “yes,” he is a crook.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/there-s-one-way-to-find-out-if-a-man-is-honest-ask-him-if-he-says-yes/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Most important, you learn never to trust a man, even if he seems honest and sincere. You learn how men deceive themselves and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abbott/most-important-you-learn-never-to-trust-a-man-even-if-he-seems-honest/) Jack Abbott ## More by Brandon Sanderson > [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/they-say-a-man-doesn-t-know-himself-until-he-faces-death-for-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Why, Elend! That’s almost romantic—in a twisted ‘I’m going to make my wife want to kill me’ sort of way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-elend-that-s-almost-romantic-in-a-twisted-i-m-going-to-make-my/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elantris was the one place where she could remember feeling unconditional acceptance. She had not been a princess, she had been something far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elantris-was-the-one-place-where-she-could-remember-feeling/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elend smiled. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that you're unusual, Vin. You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-are-inexperienced-so-was-i-once-so-is-every-man-the-measure-of-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) [Explore all 1,238 Brandon Sanderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More Clever quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“There was once an old but clever donkey, who never liked the sting of any bee, Nor for all the Slung mud, did he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyavrat-thareja/there-was-once-an-old-but-clever-donkey-who-never-liked-the-sting-of/) [Priyavrat Thareja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyavrat-thareja/) > [ There was another reason \[she\] took her books whenever they went away. They were her home when she was somewhere strange. They were familiar… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/there-was-another-reason-she-took-her-books-whenever-they-went-away/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [If she is stupid enough to let you go, you're clever enough not to look back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-she-is-stupid-enough-to-let-you-go-you-re-clever-enough-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Need to go to the pharmacy, because I'm so sick!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-matthews/need-to-go-to-the-pharmacy-because-i-m-so-sick/) Tasha Matthews > [My valour is certainly going! - it is sneaking off! - I feel it oozing out as it were at the palms of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/my-valour-is-certainly-going-it-is-sneaking-off-i-feel-it-oozing-out/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > ['I Love You' fails to sum up all the memories, smiles, laughs, trials, and tribulations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/i-love-you-fails-to-sum-up-all-the-memories-smiles-laughs-trials-and/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [People may say that what I do is very clever, but it's not really at all. It's not Swift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/people-may-say-that-what-i-do-is-very-clever-but-it-s-not-really-at/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Regrets are like mistresses," he informed her. "I ..." Her hand dropped from the handle. "What?" "Good men don't have them." She blinked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/regrets-are-like-mistresses-he-informed-her-i-her-hand-dropped-from/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [I love clever lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-clever-lyrics/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) [Browse all 2,116 Clever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "However a man who was honest and clever was always, ALWAYS more difficult to scam than someone who was both dishonest and clever. Sincerity. It was so difficult , by definition, to fake.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brandon Sanderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever-was-always-always-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clever" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever-was-always-always-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/brandon-sanderson-112_clever_however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever_295995.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“However a man who was honest and clever was always, ALWAYS more difficult to scam than someone who was both…” — Brandon Sanderson", "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": "Brandon Sanderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "However a man who was honest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever-was-always-always-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/however-a-man-who-was-honest-and-clever-was-always-always-more/#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 } } ] } ```