Asking Quote by Jill Paton Walsh
“If you tell someone a secret, and ask them to keep it secret, you are asking them to display a discretion you are unable to display yourself.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Woman of No Importance, 1995
Expecting others to keep secrets reveals a desire for discretion you cannot fulfill yourself, exposing hypocrisy.
In simple terms: You ask others to do what you can't.
Key Takeaway
Reflect on your own capacity for discretion.
Themes
hypocrisy
trust
privacy
Mood
thoughtful
cautious
Type
ethical
reflective
When to use this quote
- confidential work
- friendships
- family discussions
Key Concepts
ethical consistency
personal integrity
social expectations
Questions to Reflect On
- Are you willing to keep others' secrets?
- What does this say about your own trustworthiness?
A Different Perspective
People may still breach trust despite your request.
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![“[A]fter all, the position of a reader in a book is very like that occupied by angels in the world, when angels still had any credibility. Yours is, like theirs, a hovering, gravely attentive presence, observing everything, from whom nothing is concealed, for angels are very bright mirrors. Hearts…” quote by Jill Paton Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c06/jill-paton-walsh-38453_books_a-fter-all-the-position-of-a-reader-in-a_2137626.jpg)
