--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In England it is bad manners to be…" description: "\"In England it is bad manners to be clever, to assert something confidently. It may be your own personal view that two and two make four, but you must n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png" --- # In England it is bad manners to be clever, to assert… ![“In England it is bad manners to be clever, to assert something confidently. It may be your own personal view that two and two make four, but you must not state it in a self-assured way, because this is a democratic country and others may be of a different opinion.” quote by George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png) > “In England it is bad manners to be clever, to assert something confidently. It may be your own personal view that two and two make four, but you must not state it in a self-assured way, because this is a democratic country and others may be of a different opinion.” [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In England, overt confidence is seen as rude; modesty is valued, even when one holds a factual belief. **In simple terms:** Being overly confident is impolite in English culture. Key Takeaway Speak modestly, even when right. Themes social etiquette humor culture Mood reflective lighthearted Type cultural humorous When to use this quote - workplace discussions - public debates - social gatherings Key Concepts modesty confidence democracy Questions to Reflect On - When should confidence be expressed? - How to balance humility with truth? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on modesty may suppress honest discourse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-manners/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Different opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-opinions/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [The challenge of manners is not so much to be nice to someone whose favor and/or person you covet (although more people need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-challenge-of-manners-is-not-so-much-to-be-nice-to-someone-whose/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [THE STREET RAISE ME BUT IN MY BAD MANNERS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jah-reign/the-street-raise-me-but-in-my-bad-manners/) [Jah Reign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jah-reign/) > [War is a form of really bad manners, in a strange way. Invading a country I think is just the worst possible manners. 'You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/war-is-a-form-of-really-bad-manners-in-a-strange-way-invading-a/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [“much privilege leads to bad manners,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danzy-senna/much-privilege-leads-to-bad-manners/) [Danzy Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danzy-senna/) > [As a child, I was taught that it was bad manners to bring attention to yourself, and to never, ever make a spectacle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/as-a-child-i-was-taught-that-it-was-bad-manners-to-bring-attention-to/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Manners are of such great consequence to the novelist that any kind will do. Bad manners are better than no manners at all, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/manners-are-of-such-great-consequence-to-the-novelist-that-any-kind/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Good manners are appreciated as much as bad manners are abhorred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/good-manners-are-appreciated-as-much-as-bad-manners-are-abhorred/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [You can get through life with bad manners, but it's easier with good manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/you-can-get-through-life-with-bad-manners-but-it-s-easier-with-good/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [The keynote of simple folk is bad manners, familiarity. They intrude on one's private soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-kavanagh/the-keynote-of-simple-folk-is-bad-manners-familiarity-they-intrude-on/) [Patrick Kavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-kavanagh/) > [I don't accept bad manners, so all my grandchildren are very well behaved, just like my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maye-musk/i-don-t-accept-bad-manners-so-all-my-grandchildren-are-very-well/) [Maye Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maye-musk/) > [This self-congratulatory notion Americans have that their country is Number One is borne of ignorance and bad manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/this-self-congratulatory-notion-americans-have-that-their-country-is/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [~I'm strict about manners. I think that kids have a horrible time with other people if they have bad manners… The one thing you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/i-m-strict-about-manners-i-think-that-kids-have-a-horrible-time-with/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [If I was to ask you tonight if you were saved? Do you say 'Yes, I am saved'. When? 'Oh so and so preached,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/if-i-was-to-ask-you-tonight-if-you-were-saved-do-you-say-yes-i-am/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-children-now-love-luxury-they-have-bad-manners-contempt-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by George Mikes > [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [The British suffer from a most unfortunate superiority complex - unjustified even under Victoria and most certainly hopelessly out-of-date today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-suffer-from-a-most-unfortunate-superiority-complex/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Remember that those five hundred words an average Englishman uses are far from being the whole vocabulary of the language. You may learn another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/remember-that-those-five-hundred-words-an-average-englishman-uses-are/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [English humor resembles the Loch Ness Monster in that both are famous but there is a strong suspicion that neither exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/english-humor-resembles-the-loch-ness-monster-in-that-both-are-famous/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“Before you are admitted to British citizenship you are not even considered a natural human being. I looked up the word natural (na’tural) in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/before-you-are-admitted-to-british-citizenship-you-are-not-even/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“In the last century, when a wicked and unworthy subject annoyed the Sultan of Turkey or the Czar of Russia, he had his head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/in-the-last-century-when-a-wicked-and-unworthy-subject-annoyed-the/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“While all this goes on, the English remain staunch believers in equality. Equality is a notion the English have given to humanity. Equality means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/while-all-this-goes-on-the-english-remain-staunch-believers-in/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [I asked many friends if Australian anti-intellectualism was still a living force and they all told me it was. If you are above average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/i-asked-many-friends-if-australian-anti-intellectualism-was-still-a/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Once you start buying first aid kits you start having accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/once-you-start-buying-first-aid-kits-you-start-having-accidents/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“Mr S. got angry. ‘Yes, I do have a son. He’s a good-for-nothing. A dead loss.’ I couldn’t ask which prison he was in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/mr-s-got-angry-yes-i-do-have-a-son-he-s-a-good-for-nothing-a-dead/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“I have been told that my above-described theory is all wrong and is only due to my Central European conceit, because the English do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/i-have-been-told-that-my-above-described-theory-is-all-wrong-and-is/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Rich people (in Australia) have swimming pools in their gardens but, at least, they do swim in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/rich-people-in-australia-have-swimming-pools-in-their-gardens-but-at/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“An average English house combines all the curses of civilisation with the vicissitudes of life in the open. It is all right to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/an-average-english-house-combines-all-the-curses-of-civilisation-with/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Australia objects to the mini-skirt not on moral but on economic grounds. Australians are no prudes and the lovely, healthy, sporty Australian girls have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/australia-objects-to-the-mini-skirt-not-on-moral-but-on-economic/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [The Art of Conversation could not die in Australia; it never lived. Television did not kill it; there was nothing there to kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-art-of-conversation-could-not-die-in-australia-it-never-lived/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) [Explore all 110 George Mikes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) ## More Bad man quotes > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [“It is said that the hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only ever rude intentionally. Arthur Bryant was no gentleman. His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Terrorism is obviously on everybody's mind. The other day my son says to me, 'Daddy, how come the bad men hate us?' How sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/terrorism-is-obviously-on-everybody-s-mind-the-other-day-my-son-says/) [Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If I was to ask you tonight if you were saved? Do you say 'Yes, I am saved'. When? 'Oh so and so preached,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/if-i-was-to-ask-you-tonight-if-you-were-saved-do-you-say-yes-i-am/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [What is a good man? Simply one whose life is useful to the world. And a bad man is simply one whose life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-zhao/what-is-a-good-man-simply-one-whose-life-is-useful-to-the-world-and-a/) Zhang Zhao > [~I'm strict about manners. I think that kids have a horrible time with other people if they have bad manners… The one thing you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/i-m-strict-about-manners-i-think-that-kids-have-a-horrible-time-with/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [“He never looked at her; and yet, the careful avoidance of his eyes betokened that in some way he knew exactly where, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/he-never-looked-at-her-and-yet-the-careful-avoidance-of-his-eyes/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“As it happens, I’m a terrible dancer. Bears are simply not made for dancing. We’re much better at sitting and sleeping and singing. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-macleod/as-it-happens-i-m-a-terrible-dancer-bears-are-simply-not-made-for/) [Doug MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-macleod/) > [The Gospel of Jesus Christ can make bad men good and good men better, can alter human nature, and can change human lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-can-make-bad-men-good-and-good-men-better/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [This self-congratulatory notion Americans have that their country is Number One is borne of ignorance and bad manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/this-self-congratulatory-notion-americans-have-that-their-country-is/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [You can learn a lot about good management by working under someone who is a bad manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-murray/you-can-learn-a-lot-about-good-management-by-working-under-someone/) [Charles Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-murray/) Browse all 410 Bad man quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In England it is bad manners to be clever, to assert something confidently. It may be your own personal view that two and two make four, but you must not state it in a self-assured way, because this is a democratic country and others may be of a different opinion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Mikes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-clever-to-assert-something/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-clever-to-assert-something/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e7/george-mikes-4493_bad-man_in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-cleve_1837297.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In England it is bad manners to be clever, to assert something confidently. It may be your own personal view…” — George Mikes", "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": "George Mikes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In England it is bad manners...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-clever-to-assert-something/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/in-england-it-is-bad-manners-to-be-clever-to-assert-something/#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 } } ] } ```