--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only our bad temper that we put…" description: "\"It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/c-s-lewis-2-132_bad-temper_it-is-only-our-bad-temper-that-we-put-do_1346740.png" --- # It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired… ![“It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/c-s-lewis-2-132_bad-temper_it-is-only-our-bad-temper-that-we-put-do_1346740.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/c-s-lewis-2-132_bad-temper_it-is-only-our-bad-temper-that-we-put-do_1346740.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/c-s-lewis-2-132_bad-temper_it-is-only-our-bad-temper-that-we-put-do_1346740.png) > “It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We blame external factors for bad moods but claim personal responsibility for good moods, revealing a bias in self‑assessment. **In simple terms:** We blame tiredness for anger, claim self for calm. Key Takeaway Own all moods equally. Themes self‑awareness responsibility psychology bias Mood introspective analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - stress management - leadership - personal development - conflict mediation Key Concepts attribution error emotional regulation self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How do you attribute your emotions? - What steps can you take to balance self‑blame and external factors? A Different Perspective Ignoring external influences can oversimplify complex causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-temper/) [Good Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-temper-269781/) [Hungry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hungry/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Temper Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper-tired-4566672/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Worried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worried/) ## Related quotes > [More than half the difficulties of the world would be allayed or removed by the exhibition of good temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/more-than-half-the-difficulties-of-the-world-would-be-allayed-or/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [Tis not in battles that from youth we train The Governor who must be wise and good, And temper with the sternness of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/tis-not-in-battles-that-from-youth-we-train-the-governor-who-must-be/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Perhaps I have not really a good temper at all, but if you have everything you want and everyone is kind to you, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/perhaps-i-have-not-really-a-good-temper-at-all-but-if-you-have/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [Nothing is more worthy than good temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aden-gulf/nothing-is-more-worthy-than-good-temper/) [Aden Gulf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aden-gulf/) > [So of cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more it remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/so-of-cheerfulness-or-a-good-temper-the-more-it-is-spent-the-more-it/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Good temper is an estate for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/good-temper-is-an-estate-for-life/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I do think all good and evil comes from words. I have to tune myself into a good temper with something musical, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/i-do-think-all-good-and-evil-comes-from-words-i-have-to-tune-myself/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Nothing is so aggravating as calmness. There is something positively brutal about the good temper of most modern men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/nothing-is-so-aggravating-as-calmness-there-is-something-positively/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Good temper, like a sunny day, sheds a ray of brightness over everything; it is the sweetener of toil and the soother of disquietude!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/good-temper-like-a-sunny-day-sheds-a-ray-of-brightness-over/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [I don't have a good temper, don't try to question me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janethnipay/i-don-t-have-a-good-temper-don-t-try-to-question-me/) [Janethnipay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janethnipay/) > [Taste is not stationary. It grows every day, and is improved by cultivation, as a good temper is refined by religion. In its most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/taste-is-not-stationary-it-grows-every-day-and-is-improved-by/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [Good temper is one of the great preservers of the features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/good-temper-is-one-of-the-great-preservers-of-the-features/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [For me it is really important to have a story with blood in the veins, there are bad tempers and good tempers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/for-me-it-is-really-important-to-have-a-story-with-blood-in-the-veins/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Bad temper is its own scourge. Few things are more bitter than to feel bitter. A man's venom poisons himself more than his victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buxton/bad-temper-is-its-own-scourge-few-things-are-more-bitter-than-to-feel/) [Charles Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buxton/) > [Nah, I don't have a bad temper. I just have a quick reaction to bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nah-i-don-t-have-a-bad-temper-i-just-have-a-quick-reaction-to-bullshit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Bad temper quotes > [“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a-sign-of-bad-temper-and-lack/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [If a man is crossing the river and an empty boat collides with his skiff, even though he is a bad tempered man he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-a-man-is-crossing-the-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Truths of life¦ The most beautiful day: Today The easiest thing: Equivocate The biggest obstacle: Fear The gravest error: give up, to despair The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truths-of-life-the-most-beautiful-day-today-the-easiest-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For example, if a man with a bad temper has been provoked, then he will surely start shouting or start a fight. You could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-t-rivers/for-example-if-a-man-with-a-bad-temper-has-been-provoked-then-he-will/) [Clarence T. Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-t-rivers/) > [A man of bad character punishes his own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ghazali/a-man-of-bad-character-punishes-his-own-soul/) [Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ghazali/) > [Nah, I don't have a bad temper. I just have a quick reaction to bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nah-i-don-t-have-a-bad-temper-i-just-have-a-quick-reaction-to-bullshit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So long as I perceive the world as hostile, I remain linked to it: \*I am not crazy\*. But sometimes, once my bad temper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/so-long-as-i-perceive-the-world-as-hostile-i-remain-linked-to-it-i-am/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [“He was very interested in everything that lay to the North because no one ever went that way and he was never allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-was-very-interested-in-everything-that-lay-to-the-north-because-no/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Bad temper is its own scourge. Few things are more bitter than to feel bitter. A man's venom poisons himself more than his victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buxton/bad-temper-is-its-own-scourge-few-things-are-more-bitter-than-to-feel/) [Charles Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buxton/) > [“The truth is that I will always need you more than you need me. It’s also the truth that I’m not a good bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-morton/the-truth-is-that-i-will-always-need-you-more-than-you-need-me-it-s/) [Lily Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-morton/) > [“If a man crosses a river and an empty boat collides with his own skiff, Even though he be bad tempered man He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuang-tzu-2/if-a-man-crosses-a-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his-own/) [Chuang-Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuang-tzu-2/) > [Clary," Jace said again. "You know: short, redheaded, bad temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clary-jace-said-again-you-know-short-redheaded-bad-temper/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I do think your brother grows more peculiar every day,' I complain to Edward when he comes to my rooms in Whitehall Palace to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-do-think-your-brother-grows-more-peculiar-every-day-i-complain-to/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [For me it is really important to have a story with blood in the veins, there are bad tempers and good tempers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/for-me-it-is-really-important-to-have-a-story-with-blood-in-the-veins/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“You have a bad temper, Mr. Morrison.” “Get the hell off me,” Tate snarled through his teeth. “I’m not on you.” “Yes, you fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/you-have-a-bad-temper-mr-morrison-get-the-hell-off-me-tate-snarled/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) [Browse all 93 Bad temper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-temper/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. 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