--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If women were humbler, men would be…" description: "\"If women were humbler, men would be honester.\" — John Vanbrugh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg" --- # If women were humbler, men would be honester. ![“If women were humbler, men would be honester.” quote by John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg) > “If women were humbler, men would be honester.” [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that mutual humility would lead to greater honesty between genders. **In simple terms:** If both sexes were modest, they'd be more truthful. Key Takeaway Promote humility to foster honesty. Themes gender relations humility honesty social norms Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical social When to use this quote - marriage counseling - workplace dynamics - education curricula Key Concepts feminist critique ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - Can humility truly change entrenched power dynamics? - What other factors affect honesty? A Different Perspective Humility alone may not guarantee honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [If women were humbler, men would be more honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-more-honest/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [To be wiser than other men is to be honester than they; and strength of mind is only courage to see and speak the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/to-be-wiser-than-other-men-is-to-be-honester-than-they-and-strength/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [There is a pride, a self-love, in human minds that will seldom be kept so low as to make men and women humbler than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/there-is-a-pride-a-self-love-in-human-minds-that-will-seldom-be-kept/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [I thank God I am as honest as any man living that is an old man and no honester than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-thank-god-i-am-as-honest-as-any-man-living-that-is-an-old-man-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The honester the man, the worse luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [“...when you're broken, everything gets a little honester - you make mistakes and don't give a damn - you give up on perfection, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes-a-familiar-rain/when-you-re-broken-everything-gets-a-little-honester-you-make/) [John Geddes A Familiar Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes-a-familiar-rain/) > [The more I see of the Swedes, the more I am convinced that there is no kinder, simpler, and honester people in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/the-more-i-see-of-the-swedes-the-more-i-am-convinced-that-there-is-no/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [The seeker after truth should be humbler than the dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-seeker-after-truth-should-be-humbler-than-the-dust/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Your haughty religious people would have held their heads up to see me as I am tonight, and preached of flames and vengeance,' cried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/your-haughty-religious-people-would-have-held-their-heads-up-to-see/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [It constantly happens that the Lord permits a soul to fall so that it may grow humbler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/it-constantly-happens-that-the-lord-permits-a-soul-to-fall-so-that-it/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“My correspondence has certainly the charm of variety, and the humbler are usually the more interesting. This looks like one of those unwelcome social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-correspondence-has-certainly-the-charm-of-variety-and-the-humbler/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [I can be humbler than anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-can-be-humbler-than-anyone/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [It's a great lesson in modesty that you realize you're illiterate in a field that you think you're an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/it-s-a-great-lesson-in-modesty-that-you-realize-you-re-illiterate-in/) [Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/) > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You just have to stay humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-jackson/you-just-have-to-stay-humble/) [Lamar Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-jackson/) ## More by John Vanbrugh > [If women were humbler, men would be more honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-more-honest/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [The want of a thing is perplexing enough, but the possession of it, is intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/the-want-of-a-thing-is-perplexing-enough-but-the-possession-of-it-is/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [True virtue, wheresoever it moves, still carries an intrinsic worth about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/true-virtue-wheresoever-it-moves-still-carries-an-intrinsic-worth/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [“Shield me, kind heaven, what an inundation of impertinence is here coming upon us!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/shield-me-kind-heaven-what-an-inundation-of-impertinence-is-here/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Let our weakness be what it will, mankind will still be weaker; and whilst there is a world, 'tis woman that will govern it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/let-our-weakness-be-what-it-will-mankind-will-still-be-weaker-and/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [We're gaily yet, we're gaily yet, And we're not very fow, but we're gaily yet; Then set ye awhile, and tipple a bit, For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/we-re-gaily-yet-we-re-gaily-yet-and-we-re-not-very-fow-but-we-re/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [“How I should despise such a thing if I were a man. What a nose she has! what a chin! what a neck! Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/how-i-should-despise-such-a-thing-if-i-were-a-man-what-a-nose-she-has/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [As if a woman of education bought things because she wanted 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/as-if-a-woman-of-education-bought-things-because-she-wanted-em/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Love, like virtue, is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/love-like-virtue-is-its-own-reward/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Tho marriage be a lottery in which there are a wondrous many blanks, yet there is one inestimable lot in which the only heaven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/tho-marriage-be-a-lottery-in-which-there-are-a-wondrous-many-blanks/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Love's like virtue, its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/love-s-like-virtue-its-own-reward/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Friendship's said to be a plant of tedious growth, its root composed of tender fibers, nice in their taste, cautious in spreading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/friendship-s-said-to-be-a-plant-of-tedious-growth-its-root-composed/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [You may build castles in the air, and fume, and fret, and grow thin and lean, and pale and ugly, if you please. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/you-may-build-castles-in-the-air-and-fume-and-fret-and-grow-thin-and/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Custom is the law of fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/custom-is-the-law-of-fools/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [Thinking is to me the greatest fatigue in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/thinking-is-to-me-the-greatest-fatigue-in-the-world/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) [Explore all 23 John Vanbrugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) ## More Feminism quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/) [Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/) > [Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/without-meaning-to-sound-anti-men-ghastly-women-are-the-closest-you/) [Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/) > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) Joseph Joffre > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [“Bármilyen idiótának, aki azt kérdezi: „Feminista vagy? Akkor elégeted a melltartóidat, mi? HE? Melltartókat égetsz, te feminista?” – szép nyugodtan így kell válaszolni: „Ostoba.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/b-rmilyen-idi-t-nak-aki-azt-k-rdezi-feminista-vagy-akkor-el-geted-a/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind [Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If women were humbler, men would be honester.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Vanbrugh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-honester/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feminism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-honester/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/john-vanbrugh-25478_feminism_if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-hones_3038077.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If women were humbler, men would be honester.” — John Vanbrugh", "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": "John Vanbrugh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If women were humbler, men would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-honester/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-honester/#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 } } ] } ```