---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We find it easy to believe that praise is…"
description: "\"We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why should anyone lie in telling us the truth?\" — Jean Rostand"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg"
---

#  We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why…

![“We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why should anyone lie in telling us the truth?” quote by Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg)

> “We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why should anyone lie in telling us the truth?”

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

## About This Quote

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

People tend to trust praise, assuming honesty, even when lying is possible.

**In simple terms:** We often believe compliments are sincere.

Key Takeaway

Question the motives behind compliments.

Themes

trust communication honesty psychology

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- workplace feedback
- personal relationships
- media statements

Key Concepts

social perception ethical skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you questioned a compliment?
- What factors reveal genuine praise?

A Different Perspective

Not all praise is deceptive; context matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-praise-3161028/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-believe-683464/) [Lie Telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-telling-1048139/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Praise Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise-lie-5477543/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sincere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincere/) [Telling truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [“If someone tells you a lie, they're not telling you the truth, but they are telling you something. It just takes longer to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-livesey/if-someone-tells-you-a-lie-they-re-not-telling-you-the-truth-but-they/)

[Margot Livesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-livesey/)

> [I prefer an ugly truth to a pretty lie. If someone is telling me the truth that is when I will give my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/i-prefer-an-ugly-truth-to-a-pretty-lie-if-someone-is-telling-me-the/)

[Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/)

> [“To be truly effective, praise must be legitimate and pointed. Will everyone have good reason to believe this praise is true? What exactly is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-manby/to-be-truly-effective-praise-must-be-legitimate-and-pointed-will/)

[Joel Manby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-manby/)

> [I believe that you should praise people whenever you can; it causes them to respond as a thirsty plant responds to water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-believe-that-you-should-praise-people-whenever-you-can-it-causes/)

[Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/)

> [When someone compliments you, listen, but don't believe it. Praise or blame are immaterial. You know what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-someone-compliments-you-listen-but-don-t-believe-it-praise-or/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We lie by not telling you things...We don't lie by telling you things that aren't true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-north/we-lie-by-not-telling-you-things-we-don-t-lie-by-telling-you-things/)

[Oliver North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-north/)

> [But then if you lied to a man about his talent just because he was sitting across from you, that was the most unforgivable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/but-then-if-you-lied-to-a-man-about-his-talent-just-because-he-was/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [The biggest lie is the idea that we are entitled to a meaningful and coherent summarizing, a conclusion, of something which never concludes. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-milch/the-biggest-lie-is-the-idea-that-we-are-entitled-to-a-meaningful-and/)

[David Milch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-milch/)

> [Realtionship are good sometimes there bad! If you dont like them tell them the way you fell about them dont lie! Telling the ruch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/makya-matthews/realtionship-are-good-sometimes-there-bad-if-you-dont-like-them-tell/)

[Makya Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/makya-matthews/)

> [“It will happen soon. Someday you will find yourself surrounded by people with the exact same interests as you, and you will never feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-meno/it-will-happen-soon-someday-you-will-find-yourself-surrounded-by/)

[Joe Meno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-meno/)

> [“I can't stand lies. Probably no one can. Probably everyone is, to varying degrees, allergic to them, both spiritually and physically. Lies make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/i-can-t-stand-lies-probably-no-one-can-probably-everyone-is-to/)

[Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/)

> [I have a friend who is an excellent liar. His secret: Believe the lie yourself when you're telling it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-heffron/i-have-a-friend-who-is-an-excellent-liar-his-secret-believe-the-lie/)

[Jack Heffron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-heffron/)

> [It is very easy to believe in a lie, but it's difficult to accept the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/it-is-very-easy-to-believe-in-a-lie-but-it-s-difficult-to-accept-the/)

[Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/)

> [It is easy to believe in freedom of speech for those with whom we agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-mckern/it-is-easy-to-believe-in-freedom-of-speech-for-those-with-whom-we/)

[Leo McKern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-mckern/)

> [I figured that when there's no way of knowing what the future holds it's just as easy to believe it'll be good as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ferris/i-figured-that-when-there-s-no-way-of-knowing-what-the-future-holds/)

[Jean Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ferris/)

## More by Jean Rostand

> [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/le-biologiste-passe-la-grenouille-reste-the-biologist-passes-the-frog/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [In politics, yesterday's lie is attacked only to flatter today's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/in-politics-yesterday-s-lie-is-attacked-only-to-flatter-today-s/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [There are certain moments when we might wish the future were built by men of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/there-are-certain-moments-when-we-might-wish-the-future-were-built-by/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [It may offend us to hear our own thoughts expressed by others: we are not sure enough of their souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/it-may-offend-us-to-hear-our-own-thoughts-expressed-by-others-we-are/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [The books one has written in the past have two surprises in store: one couldn't write them again, and wouldn't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/the-books-one-has-written-in-the-past-have-two-surprises-in-store-one/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Never feel remorse for what you have thought about your wife; she has thought much worse things about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/never-feel-remorse-for-what-you-have-thought-about-your-wife-she-has/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Certain brief sentences are peerless in their ability to give one the feeling that nothing remains to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/certain-brief-sentences-are-peerless-in-their-ability-to-give-one-the/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [The divine is perhaps that quality in man which permits him to endure the lack of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/the-divine-is-perhaps-that-quality-in-man-which-permits-him-to-endure/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/kill-one-man-and-you-are-a-murderer-kill-millions-of-men-and-you-are/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Falsity cannot keep an idea from being beautiful; there are certain errors of such ingenuity that one could regret their not ranking among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/falsity-cannot-keep-an-idea-from-being-beautiful-there-are-certain/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [To be adult is to be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/to-be-adult-is-to-be-alone/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Quotations--always inexact. I don't trust people who cannot even copy out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/quotations-always-inexact-i-don-t-trust-people-who-cannot-even-copy/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [Kill one man and you're a murderer, kill a million and you're a conqueror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/kill-one-man-and-you-re-a-murderer-kill-a-million-and-you-re-a/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [There are moments when very little truth would be enough to shape opinion. One might be hated at extremely low cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/there-are-moments-when-very-little-truth-would-be-enough-to-shape/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

[Explore all 87 Jean Rostand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why should anyone lie in telling us the truth?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jean Rostand"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-is-sincere-why-should-anyone/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-is-sincere-why-should-anyone/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/jean-rostand-7588_believe_we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-i_1496719.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We find it easy to believe that praise is sincere: why should anyone lie in telling us the truth?” — Jean Rostand",
                "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": "Jean Rostand",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We find it easy to believe...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-is-sincere-why-should-anyone/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/we-find-it-easy-to-believe-that-praise-is-sincere-why-should-anyone/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
