--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We veneer civilization by doing unkind…" description: "\"We veneer civilization by doing unkind things in a kind way.\" — George Bernard Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/george-bernard-shaw-68_civilization_we-veneer-civilization-by-doing-unkind-t_2566335.png" --- # We veneer civilization by doing unkind things in a kind way. ![“We veneer civilization by doing unkind things in a kind way.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/george-bernard-shaw-68_civilization_we-veneer-civilization-by-doing-unkind-t_2566335.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/george-bernard-shaw-68_civilization_we-veneer-civilization-by-doing-unkind-t_2566335.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/george-bernard-shaw-68_civilization_we-veneer-civilization-by-doing-unkind-t_2566335.png) > “We veneer civilization by doing unkind things in a kind way.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society pretends kindness while committing cruelty, masking harsh deeds with polite behavior. **In simple terms:** We hide cruelty behind a veneer of kindness. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge disguised cruelty. Themes ethics social critique human nature hypocrisy Mood critical provocative Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace dynamics - political rhetoric - personal relationships Key Concepts moral philosophy social psychology behavioral ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you spot hidden cruelty? - What actions can reveal genuine kindness? A Different Perspective People may deny their own complicity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Veneer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veneer/) ## Related quotes > [If you lived in London, where the whole system is one of false good-fellowship, and you may know a man for twenty years without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-you-lived-in-london-where-the-whole-system-is-one-of-false-good/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“Just for the sake of a piece of pie, Some will speak unkind things about others and tell many lies”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-forde/just-for-the-sake-of-a-piece-of-pie-some-will-speak-unkind-things/) [Charmaine J Forde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-j-forde/) > [I don't care how unkind the things people say about me so long as they don't say them to my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/i-don-t-care-how-unkind-the-things-people-say-about-me-so-long-as/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [I've said many, many, many unkind things about Philadelphia, and I meant every one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-ve-said-many-many-many-unkind-things-about-philadelphia-and-i-meant/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Religion makes kind people say unkind things: "I must prove my faith, so mutilate the genitals of my children." 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Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [It's the spirit within, not the veneer without, that makes a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baden-powell-de-aquino/it-s-the-spirit-within-not-the-veneer-without-that-makes-a-man/) [Baden Powell de Aquino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baden-powell-de-aquino/) > [The scary truth is, you have to scratch some veneer off to gauge where the moral fiber really is in certain pockets of society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/the-scary-truth-is-you-have-to-scratch-some-veneer-off-to-gauge-where/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Drop the veneer periodically and be like "OK, I'm an imperfect human. Let's try to get through this."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/drop-the-veneer-periodically-and-be-like-ok-i-m-an-imperfect-human/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. 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Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. 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