Advantage Quote by Friedrich Nietzsche
“Whether a man hides his bad qualities and vices or confesses them openly, his vanity wants to gain an advantage by it in both cases: just note how subtly he distinguishes between those he will hide his bad qualities from and those he will face honestly and candidly.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophy: Nietzsche’s notes on morality, 1886
People hide or reveal flaws strategically; vanity drives selective honesty.
In simple terms: Vanity leads to selective honesty about flaws.
Key Takeaway
Practice authentic self-disclosure.
Themes
vanity
honesty
self-presentation
Mood
critical
introspective
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- personal development
- relationship counseling
- public speaking
Key Concepts
ethics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- When is selective honesty justified?
- How does vanity influence your truth-telling?
A Different Perspective
Complete honesty can be socially risky.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
