---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe…"
description: "\"“Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe everybody was in the game, and Phil just knew better than anyone else how to play.”\" — David Howard"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg"
---

#  Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe everybody was in…

![“Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe everybody was in the game, and Phil just knew better than anyone else how to play.” quote by David Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg)

> ““Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe everybody was in the game, and Phil just knew better than anyone else how to play.””

[David Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-howard/)

## About This Quote

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

People often hide true intentions, and only a few truly understand the game being played.

**In simple terms:** People conceal motives; few see the whole picture.

Key Takeaway

Seek honesty and discernment.

Themes

deception insight power dynamics

Mood

skeptical reflective

Type

analytical critical

When to use this quote

- business negotiations
- personal relationships
- political strategy

Key Concepts

Game theory human nature trust

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you tell when someone is playing a game?
- What signs reveal genuine intent?

A Different Perspective

Assumes everyone is a con artist, which may be overly cynical.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Con Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/con-man/) [Everybody Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-game-485849/) [Game Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-phil-3860083/) [Man Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-maybe-2545678/) [Maybe Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-everybody-2114354/) [Maybe Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-man-2176599/)

## Related quotes

> [“If you worked out enough, maybe the man would too. Maybe you would be able to work it out together, as if the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/if-you-worked-out-enough-maybe-the-man-would-too-maybe-you-would-be/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [“I do not understand why the gods have made it so that every woman’s lot in life is to owe her security to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-r-king/i-do-not-understand-why-the-gods-have-made-it-so-that-every-woman-s/)

[Emily R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-r-king/)

> [There is nothing wrong where we reach a point where maybe everybody could claim a victory. I think it would be good for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-breaux/there-is-nothing-wrong-where-we-reach-a-point-where-maybe-everybody/)

[John Breaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-breaux/)

> [I'm not crazy in my head. Maybe in everybody else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-itzler/i-m-not-crazy-in-my-head-maybe-in-everybody-else-s/)

[Jesse Itzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-itzler/)

> [If I make a record I love, then somebody will like it. Maybe not everybody, but that won't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/if-i-make-a-record-i-love-then-somebody-will-like-it-maybe-not/)

[Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/)

> [“So would you consider Bertie to be a man, then?’ poses Yeti. ‘That’s a tricky one… a young man maybe. But not a man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fieldsend/so-would-you-consider-bertie-to-be-a-man-then-poses-yeti-that-s-a/)

[Mark Fieldsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fieldsend/)

> [“...he wondered if maybe just occasionally the gods designed a woman fit for a king or a prince and then gave her to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-o-connell/he-wondered-if-maybe-just-occasionally-the-gods-designed-a-woman-fit/)

[Ellen O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-o-connell/)

> [“But maybe everybody was like that, all of us living the lives we had to while dreaming of the lives we wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-white/but-maybe-everybody-was-like-that-all-of-us-living-the-lives-we-had/)

[Karen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-white/)

> [“I think that maybe everybody falls" I say. "I think maybe we all do. And I don´t think that´s the asking"... "I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-think-that-maybe-everybody-falls-i-say-i-think-maybe-we-all-do-and/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [In 1997 I thought to myself, 'Man, maybe the NFL is not for me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-taylor/in-1997-i-thought-to-myself-man-maybe-the-nfl-is-not-for-me/)

[Jason Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-taylor/)

> [But maybe music was not intended to satisfy the curious definiteness of man. Maybe it is better to hope that music may always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ives/but-maybe-music-was-not-intended-to-satisfy-the-curious-definiteness/)

[Charles Ives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ives/)

> [We may finally ask ourselves whether coincidence really does exist. Maybe everybody we run into is walking around near us with the undying hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foenkinos/we-may-finally-ask-ourselves-whether-coincidence-really-does-exist/)

[David Foenkinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foenkinos/)

> [Everybody was at the top of their game at that point, in the early '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/everybody-was-at-the-top-of-their-game-at-that-point-in-the-early-70s/)

[Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/)

> [Everybody has some part of their game that is easily influenced to choke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-miller/everybody-has-some-part-of-their-game-that-is-easily-influenced-to/)

[Johnny Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-miller/)

> [“Trust everybody in the game but always cut the cards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-regan/trust-everybody-in-the-game-but-always-cut-the-cards/)

[Ronald Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-regan/)

## More by David Howard

> [“GOP Floating Idea to Push Out Moore so Governor Could Appoint Epstein ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-howard/gop-floating-idea-to-push-out-moore-so-governor-could-appoint-epstein/)

[David Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-howard/)

> [“To be seduced by the urge to link two points on a map is merely to be human, for this is surely one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-howard/to-be-seduced-by-the-urge-to-link-two-points-on-a-map-is-merely-to-be/)

[David Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-howard/)

[Explore all 3 David Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-howard/)

## More Con Man quotes

> [“Inej knew the moment Kaz entered the Slat. His presence reverberated through the cramped rooms and crooked hallways as every thug, thief, dealer, con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-knew-the-moment-kaz-entered-the-slat-his-presence-reverberated/)

[Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/)

> [No one helped my grandparents when a con man stole our house, or when I needed help paying for a plane ticket to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-harrison/no-one-helped-my-grandparents-when-a-con-man-stole-our-house-or-when/)

[Jaime Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-harrison/)

> [“My letters seeking a job, though truthful, diminished the full truth. Face would blanch if the facts had been complete: "Dear Sir," I thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bunker/my-letters-seeking-a-job-though-truthful-diminished-the-full-truth/)

[Edward Bunker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bunker/)

> [My father was a good man, but he was a con man. He was a wanderer, nomadic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-aiello/my-father-was-a-good-man-but-he-was-a-con-man-he-was-a-wanderer/)

[Danny Aiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-aiello/)

> [“near-deserted parking lot, both buildings looking freshly painted and hopeful for a marina in which there were no yachts. The biggest boat moored at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/near-deserted-parking-lot-both-buildings-looking-freshly-painted-and/)

[Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/)

> [Every decent con man knows that the simplest truth is more powerful than even the most elaborate lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/every-decent-con-man-knows-that-the-simplest-truth-is-more-powerful/)

[Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/)

> [A good lawyer is part con man, part priest -- promising riches, threatening hell. My ethical rules are simple. I won't lie to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-levine/a-good-lawyer-is-part-con-man-part-priest-promising-riches/)

[Paul Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-levine/)

> [“But the LOST narrative is uniquely intertwined with the Judeo-Christian story, and the beauty of Christianity is found in its unyielding proclamation that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-seay/but-the-lost-narrative-is-uniquely-intertwined-with-the-judeo/)

[Chris Seay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-seay/)

> [When Edison first started out with his "crazy" idea for the light bulb, skeptics were unmoved. They called Thomas Edison a con man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/when-edison-first-started-out-with-his-crazy-idea-for-the-light-bulb/)

[Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/)

> [“Some of us know that looks aren't everything, Con Man." Because that's what he was--- a perfect con, tricking others into believing he should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/some-of-us-know-that-looks-aren-t-everything-con-man-because-that-s/)

[Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/)

> [Long time ago I found out I am not special but just normal. Ever come across some body who thinks God talk to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/long-time-ago-i-found-out-i-am-not-special-but-just-normal-ever-come/)

[Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/)

> [Self-esteem is reliance on one's power to think. It cannot be replaced by one's power to deceive. The self-confidence of a scientist and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/self-esteem-is-reliance-on-one-s-power-to-think-it-cannot-be-replaced/)

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

> [“A highly placed con man does more harm to society than a stone cold killer. Perhhaps not to the single victem who's dead after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-gordon/a-highly-placed-con-man-does-more-harm-to-society-than-a-stone-cold/)

[Kate Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-gordon/)

> [“Who would appreciate such candor? No one. None of us really likes honesty. We prefer deception –but only when it is unabashedly flattering or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bonner/who-would-appreciate-such-candor-no-one-none-of-us-really-likes/)

[William Bonner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bonner/)

> [Since one of my roles is that of a con man, I actually mingled with a few pickpockets in north Chennai to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthi/since-one-of-my-roles-is-that-of-a-con-man-i-actually-mingled-with-a/)

[Karthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthi/)

[Browse all 53 Con Man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/con-man/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe everybody was in the game, and Phil just knew better than anyone else how to play.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Howard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-howard/maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-everybody-was-in-the-game-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Con Man"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-howard/maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-everybody-was-in-the-game-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe3/david-howard-82378_con-man_maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-ev_439956.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Maybe everyone was part con man. Maybe everybody was in the game, and Phil just knew better than anyone else…” — David Howard",
                "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": "David Howard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-howard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Maybe everyone was part con man....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-howard/maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-everybody-was-in-the-game-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-howard/maybe-everyone-was-part-con-man-maybe-everybody-was-in-the-game-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
