--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is better to lack the semblance of…" description: "\"“It is better to lack the semblance of honor but possess it than to possess the semblance and lack the honor.”\" — Lynn Flewelling" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/lynn-flewelling-19598_honor_it-is-better-to-lack-the-semblance-of-ho_934943.png" --- # It is better to lack the semblance of honor but possess it… ![“It is better to lack the semblance of honor but possess it than to possess the semblance and lack the honor.” quote by Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/lynn-flewelling-19598_honor_it-is-better-to-lack-the-semblance-of-ho_934943.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/lynn-flewelling-19598_honor_it-is-better-to-lack-the-semblance-of-ho_934943.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/lynn-flewelling-19598_honor_it-is-better-to-lack-the-semblance-of-ho_934943.png) > ““It is better to lack the semblance of honor but possess it than to possess the semblance and lack the honor.”” [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True honor is internal; outward appearances matter less than genuine virtue. **In simple terms:** Honor from within matters. Key Takeaway Prioritize inner integrity. Themes honor integrity authenticity Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal relationships - team dynamics - public service Key Concepts Virtue self‑respect reputation Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate inner honor publicly? - Can external perception ever fully reflect inner virtue? A Different Perspective People may judge based on appearances despite true character. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Lack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-lack-1551877/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Honor Possess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor-possess-1551872/) [Lack Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-honor-1551875/) [Possess Semblance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possess-semblance-1551879/) [Pretense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretense/) [Semblance Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/semblance-honor-1551874/) ## Related quotes > [“Writers understand the world better, but they lack the strength to change it. 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Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [pretense is the oil that lubricates society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roberts-rinehart/pretense-is-the-oil-that-lubricates-society/) [Mary Roberts Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roberts-rinehart/) > [Once you can fake sincerity, you can fake anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-putney/once-you-can-fake-sincerity-you-can-fake-anything/) [Mary Jo Putney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-putney/) > [“Employment is an employee’s kissing of an employer’s ass. A salary is the employer’s pretense to be cleaning his ass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/employment-is-an-employee-s-kissing-of-an-employer-s-ass-a-salary-is/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [There's this American pretense, which is the pretense of the journalist with the view from nowhere - which has somehow morphed into the journalist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/there-s-this-american-pretense-which-is-the-pretense-of-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) ## More by Lynn Flewelling > [“In Skala warfare is a womanly thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/in-skala-warfare-is-a-womanly-thing/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [“These are Plenimaran marines, and there's not much most of them aren't capable of, if you take my meaning." "I don't think I do,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/these-are-plenimaran-marines-and-there-s-not-much-most-of-them-aren-t/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [“First shall be the Guardian, a vessel of light in the darkness. Then the Shaft and the Vanguard, who shall fail and yet not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/first-shall-be-the-guardian-a-vessel-of-light-in-the-darkness-then/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [“Come on, Seregil, let's show him how it's done." "I'm busy," replied Seregil, working on a tricky bit of fingering. 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"You called me that by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/tal-it-was-the-only-thing-seregil-could-think-of-that-encompassed/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [A writer can't just be well-educated or good at research; to build a living, breathing world with interesting characters, you have to write from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/a-writer-can-t-just-be-well-educated-or-good-at-research-to-build-a/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [“At court you must say less than you think and only speak as much of the truth as will do you good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/at-court-you-must-say-less-than-you-think-and-only-speak-as-much-of/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [“Tobin had spent the first twelve years of his life living a lie, and the last two trying to ignore the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/tobin-had-spent-the-first-twelve-years-of-his-life-living-a-lie-and/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [Jane Kindred’s THE HOUSE OF ARKHANGEL'SK dazzles with its surreal blending of worlds. 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I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [This is what I say about the scorn of the media elite: I wear their scorn as a badge of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/this-is-what-i-say-about-the-scorn-of-the-media-elite-i-wear-their/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [Just being in a video game is an honor, and being on the cover, I can't really describe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-judge/just-being-in-a-video-game-is-an-honor-and-being-on-the-cover-i-can-t/) [Aaron Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-judge/) > [Spade! Thou art a tool of honor in my hands. I press thee, through a yielding soil, with pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/spade-thou-art-a-tool-of-honor-in-my-hands-i-press-thee-through-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“He put his forehead against hers. “Alannah, my heart is yours.” He said softly. “And yet, I must hand it over to someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-morin/he-put-his-forehead-against-hers-alannah-my-heart-is-yours-he-said/) [B.C. Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? 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