--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Calumny is only the noise of madmen." description: "\"Calumny is only the noise of madmen.\" — Diogenes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png" --- # Calumny is only the noise of madmen. ![“Calumny is only the noise of madmen.” quote by Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png) > “Calumny is only the noise of madmen.” [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism from irrational people is meaningless noise that distracts from truth. **In simple terms:** Madmen's noise is empty criticism. Key Takeaway Ignore baseless attacks. Themes criticism truth irrationality Mood skeptical calm Type aphilosophical advice When to use this quote - political debate - online trolling - workplace gossip - public speaking Key Concepts Stoicism logic reputation Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate constructive feedback from madmen's noise? - What strategies keep you focused amid criticism? A Different Perspective Even noise can influence perception if not dismissed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calumny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calumny/) [Calumny Noise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calumny-noise-2643545/) [Madmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madmen/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Noise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noise/) [Noise Madmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noise-madmen-2643546/) ## Related quotes > [Oh yes! The one man in the world who never believes he's mad is the madman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/oh-yes-the-one-man-in-the-world-who-never-believes-he-s-mad-is-the/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [When you live entirely among madmen, it is difficult to know how sane you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aickman/when-you-live-entirely-among-madmen-it-is-difficult-to-know-how-sane/) [Robert Aickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aickman/) > [There is a pleasure in being mad, which none but madmen know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/there-is-a-pleasure-in-being-mad-which-none-but-madmen-know/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [If I am mad, then who on the face of the earth is sane? If you are sane, then there is no madman in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saib-tabrizi/if-i-am-mad-then-who-on-the-face-of-the-earth-is-sane-if-you-are-sane/) [Saib Tabrizi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saib-tabrizi/) > [ “If they \[Plato and Aristotle\] wrote about politics it was as if to lay down rules for a madhouse. And if they pretended to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/if-they-plato-and-aristotle-wrote-about-politics-it-was-as-if-to-lay/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [And what is an authentic madman? It is a man who preferred to become mad, in the socially accepted sense of the word, rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-artaud/and-what-is-an-authentic-madman-it-is-a-man-who-preferred-to-become/) [Antonin Artaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-artaud/) > [“You don’t appreciate the fact that madmen are very lucky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/you-don-t-appreciate-the-fact-that-madmen-are-very-lucky/) [Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/) > [The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-madman-is-the-man-who-has-lost-everything-except-his-reason/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [News is important information that may influence your investments. Noise is talk or buzz or some headline that prevents you from seeing a story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/news-is-important-information-that-may-influence-your-investments/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [I never think it necessary to repeat calumnies; they are sparks, which, if you do not blow them, will go out of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-boerhaave/i-never-think-it-necessary-to-repeat-calumnies-they-are-sparks-which/) [Herman Boerhaave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-boerhaave/) > [“Majority of people prefer a good name to a bad name, but to me, anyone can call me anything, as long as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/majority-of-people-prefer-a-good-name-to-a-bad-name-but-to-me-anyone/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I do not want to see the Republican party ride to political victory on the Four Horsemen of Calumny-fear, ignorance, bigotry and smear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-do-not-want-to-see-the-republican-party-ride-to-political-victory/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [No matter how valuable you are and your ideas, fools will certainly play both of you down, so exclude yourselves from the inflammatory environs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/no-matter-how-valuable-you-are-and-your-ideas-fools-will-certainly/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“He made a pit and digged it. He was cunning in his plans and industrious in his labors. He stooped to the dirty work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/he-made-a-pit-and-digged-it-he-was-cunning-in-his-plans-and/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [Something of calumny always sticks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/something-of-calumny-always-sticks/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) ## More by Diogenes > [Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/dogs-and-philosophers-do-the-greatest-good-and-get-the-fewest-rewards/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Perdiccas threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, "That's nothing wonderful," Diogenes said, "for a beetle or a tarantula would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/perdiccas-threatened-to-put-him-to-death-unless-he-came-to-him-that-s/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/if-only-it-was-as-easy-to-banish-hunger-by-rubbing-the-belly-as-it-is/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [He has the most who is most content with the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/he-has-the-most-who-is-most-content-with-the-least/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/in-a-rich-man-s-house-there-is-no-place-to-spit-but-his-face/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Chilo advised, "not to speak evil of the dead."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/chilo-advised-not-to-speak-evil-of-the-dead/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [There is a false love that will make you something you are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/there-is-a-false-love-that-will-make-you-something-you-are-not/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [“And at last, becoming a complete misanthrope, he used to live, spending his time in walking about the mountains; feeding on grasses and plants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/and-at-last-becoming-a-complete-misanthrope-he-used-to-live-spending/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/most-men-are-within-a-finger-s-breadth-of-being-mad/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-discover-a-wise-man/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/i-am-diogenes-the-dog-i-nuzzle-the-kind-bark-at-the-greedy-and-bite/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [To become self-educated you should condemn yourself for all those things that you would criticize others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/to-become-self-educated-you-should-condemn-yourself-for-all-those/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/it-is-the-privilege-of-the-gods-to-want-nothing-and-of-godlike-men-to/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/those-who-have-virtue-always-in-their-mouths-and-neglect-it-in/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [I am looking for a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/i-am-looking-for-a-human/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) [Explore all 114 Diogenes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) ## More Calumny quotes > [“He made a pit and digged it. He was cunning in his plans and industrious in his labors. He stooped to the dirty work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/he-made-a-pit-and-digged-it-he-was-cunning-in-his-plans-and/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [No matter how valuable you are and your ideas, fools will certainly play both of you down, so exclude yourselves from the inflammatory environs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/no-matter-how-valuable-you-are-and-your-ideas-fools-will-certainly/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I do not want to see the Republican party ride to political victory on the Four Horsemen of Calumny-fear, ignorance, bigotry and smear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-do-not-want-to-see-the-republican-party-ride-to-political-victory/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [“Majority of people prefer a good name to a bad name, but to me, anyone can call me anything, as long as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/majority-of-people-prefer-a-good-name-to-a-bad-name-but-to-me-anyone/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I never think it necessary to repeat calumnies; they are sparks, which, if you do not blow them, will go out of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-boerhaave/i-never-think-it-necessary-to-repeat-calumnies-they-are-sparks-which/) [Herman Boerhaave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-boerhaave/) > [Something of calumny always sticks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/something-of-calumny-always-sticks/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [Our credulity is greatest concerning the things we know least about. And since we know least about ourselves, we are ready to believe all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-credulity-is-greatest-concerning-the-things-we-know-least-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [After upwards of two thousand years Epicurus has been exonerated from the reproach that the doctrines of his philosophy recommended the pleasures of sensuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-benton-clulow/after-upwards-of-two-thousand-years-epicurus-has-been-exonerated-from/) [William Benton Clulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-benton-clulow/) > [“Saint John of the Ladder explains it thus: "The devil tempts us to commit sin; and when he does not succeed, he points scornfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fr-belet/saint-john-of-the-ladder-explains-it-thus-the-devil-tempts-us-to/) [Fr. Belet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fr-belet/) > [Mobs may assemble, calumny may defame, but the work of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/mobs-may-assemble-calumny-may-defame-but-the-work-of-god-will-go/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [A man calumniated is doubly injured -- first by him who utters the calumny, and then by him who believes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/a-man-calumniated-is-doubly-injured-first-by-him-who-utters-the/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Christ taught us truth; the Devil teaches us falsehood, and strives in every way to contradict every truth; devising various calumnies against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/christ-taught-us-truth-the-devil-teaches-us-falsehood-and-strives-in/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [But silence never shows itself to so great an advantage, as when it is made the reply to calumny and defamation, provided that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/but-silence-never-shows-itself-to-so-great-an-advantage-as-when-it-is/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is something mean in human nature that prefers to think evil, that gives a willing ear and a ready welcome to calumny, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-le-gallienne/there-is-something-mean-in-human-nature-that-prefers-to-think-evil/) [Richard Le Gallienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-le-gallienne/) [Browse all 94 Calumny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calumny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Calumny is only the noise of madmen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diogenes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Calumny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c75/diogenes-4214_calumny_calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen-1879_1879275.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Calumny is only the noise of madmen.” — Diogenes", "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": "Diogenes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Calumny is only the noise of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/calumny-is-only-the-noise-of-madmen/#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 } } ] } ```