--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s better to be a modest man instead of…" description: "\"“It’s better to be a modest man instead of a conceited monkey.”\" — M.F. Hopkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/m-f-hopkins-31816_humility_it-s-better-to-be-a-modest-man-instead-o_1283276.jpg" --- # It’s better to be a modest man instead of a conceited… ![“It’s better to be a modest man instead of a conceited monkey.” quote by M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/m-f-hopkins-31816_humility_it-s-better-to-be-a-modest-man-instead-o_1283276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/m-f-hopkins-31816_humility_it-s-better-to-be-a-modest-man-instead-o_1283276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/m-f-hopkins-31816_humility_it-s-better-to-be-a-modest-man-instead-o_1283276.jpg) > ““It’s better to be a modest man instead of a conceited monkey.”” [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility is valued over arrogance, likening boastful behavior to a foolish animal. **In simple terms:** Modesty beats pride. Key Takeaway Choose humility over ego. Themes humility pride self‑awareness Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical behavior social perception Questions to Reflect On - Do you admire modest people more than confident ones? - How does humility affect influence? A Different Perspective Modesty can be mistaken for weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Modest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-modest-4154127/) [Conceited Monkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceited-monkey-4154128/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Man Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-instead-379818/) [Modest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest/) [Modest Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest-man-1218722/) ## Related quotes > [The modest man has everything to gain, and the arrogant man everything to lose; for modesty has always to deal with generosity, and arrogance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-rivarol/the-modest-man-has-everything-to-gain-and-the-arrogant-man-everything/) [Antoine Rivarol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-rivarol/) > [A modest man never talks of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-modest-man-never-talks-of-himself/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-vain-man-finds-it-wise-to-speak-good-or-ill-of-himself-a-modest-man/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [A modest man is steady, an humble man timid, and a vain one presumptuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/a-modest-man-is-steady-an-humble-man-timid-and-a-vain-one-presumptuous/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [I occasionally swank a little because people like it; a modest man is such a nuisance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-occasionally-swank-a-little-because-people-like-it-a-modest-man-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Atlee is a very modest man. And with reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/atlee-is-a-very-modest-man-and-with-reason/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [A modest man is usually admired, if people ever hear of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-modest-man-is-usually-admired-if-people-ever-hear-of-him/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No modest man ever did or ever will make a fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/no-modest-man-ever-did-or-ever-will-make-a-fortune/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [Mr. Attlee is a very modest man. Indeed he has a lot to be modest about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/mr-attlee-is-a-very-modest-man-indeed-he-has-a-lot-to-be-modest-about/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [What is marriage but prostitution to one man instead of many?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/what-is-marriage-but-prostitution-to-one-man-instead-of-many/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [“Modern man, instead of attempting to raise himself to truth, seeks to drag truth down to his own level.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-gu-non/modern-man-instead-of-attempting-to-raise-himself-to-truth-seeks-to/) [René Guénon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-gu-non/) > [Any comedic roles that I've gone out for usually end up going to a white woman or a gay man instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-haddish/any-comedic-roles-that-i-ve-gone-out-for-usually-end-up-going-to-a/) [Tiffany Haddish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-haddish/) > [I should've been a better man instead of wasting my time spending my life searching for the finer things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-should-ve-been-a-better-man-instead-of-wasting-my-time-spending-my/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [Be the man of no one! Instead, be the man of truth, only the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/be-the-man-of-no-one-instead-be-the-man-of-truth-only-the-truth/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [In this innate desire to share with one & only possible mate , the intimate secrets of love , the nothing of shame or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandan-kumar/in-this-innate-desire-to-share-with-one-only-possible-mate-the/) [Chandan Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandan-kumar/) ## More by M.F. Hopkins > [“Jesus was even more of a hottie than the hippie dude in the paintings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/jesus-was-even-more-of-a-hottie-than-the-hippie-dude-in-the-paintings/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“Feed from me? Who are you…Dracula?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/feed-from-me-who-are-you-dracula/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“You will not be damned if you make love to me,” he said. “Instead, your innocence will be my salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/you-will-not-be-damned-if-you-make-love-to-me-he-said-instead-your/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“I’ll rock your world, granny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/i-ll-rock-your-world-granny/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“Many would consider Purgatory a prison and a looney bin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/many-would-consider-purgatory-a-prison-and-a-looney-bin/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“For every slap you give me, you must also give me a kiss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/for-every-slap-you-give-me-you-must-also-give-me-a-kiss/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“Compared to Hell, this jail cell is like a five-star hotel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/compared-to-hell-this-jail-cell-is-like-a-five-star-hotel/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“In Hell, we get all of the news that happens here. Like CNN – twenty four hours a day, every fucking day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/in-hell-we-get-all-of-the-news-that-happens-here-like-cnn-twenty-four/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“When you two get the java jitters so bad that you can’t make it to the restroom fast enough for the diarrhea explosion, don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/when-you-two-get-the-java-jitters-so-bad-that-you-can-t-make-it-to/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“Bolting upright in bed, Joshua still had the lingering smells of sulfur, shit, and Chanel No. 5 in his nostrils.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/bolting-upright-in-bed-joshua-still-had-the-lingering-smells-of/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“You…the Lord of Lust…in love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/you-the-lord-of-lust-in-love/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“Baby steps. We both need to take baby steps for now. I’ll save his dark, more predatory intensity for another time. Right now, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/baby-steps-we-both-need-to-take-baby-steps-for-now-i-ll-save-his-dark/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“Still…there was something about this gorgeous man that was more than the sum of his beautiful parts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/still-there-was-something-about-this-gorgeous-man-that-was-more-than/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“When he realized that the agonizing sounds piercing his skull were his own screams, Joshua began laughing hysterically.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/when-he-realized-that-the-agonizing-sounds-piercing-his-skull-were/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) > [“I wish that I could be of more help Joshua,” she said before sighing deeply. “But I’m afraid that what’s coming is way above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-hopkins/i-wish-that-i-could-be-of-more-help-joshua-she-said-before-sighing/) [M.F. Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) [Explore all 16 M.F. Hopkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-hopkins/) ## More Humility quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But, like all indulgences that are valued not just for their product but for their process, the sento will never entirely disappear. For in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/but-like-all-indulgences-that-are-valued-not-just-for-their-product/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Humility and Trustworthiness are not rooted only in Presentation, Voice modulation or Nice Jorgan but in Actions and Intentions that speak louder than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venkat-gandhi/humility-and-trustworthiness-are-not-rooted-only-in-presentation/) [Venkat Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venkat-gandhi/) > [I think being vulnerable paves the way for humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sadowski/i-think-being-vulnerable-paves-the-way-for-humility/) [Jonathan Sadowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sadowski/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Rukmini Devi was an icon for all the Bharat Natyam students at Kalakshetra. I grew up watching her at dance school and I associate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/rukmini-devi-was-an-icon-for-all-the-bharat-natyam-students-at/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Modesty is the gentle art of enhancing your charm by pretending not to be aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-herford/modesty-is-the-gentle-art-of-enhancing-your-charm-by-pretending-not/) [Oliver Herford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-herford/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [To be part of the creation, I must act humbly. I'll take that over a goddess any day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-o-hara/to-be-part-of-the-creation-i-must-act-humbly-i-ll-take-that-over-a/) [Maureen O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-o-hara/) [Browse all 4,759 Humility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s better to be a modest man instead of a conceited monkey.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "M.F. 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