--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we spread our name by scattering it…" description: "\"“When we spread our name by scattering it into many mouths we call that ‘increasing our renown’; we wish our name to be favourably received there and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/michel-de-montaigne-142_famous_when-we-spread-our-name-by-scattering-it_2133804.jpg" --- # When we spread our name by scattering it into many mouths… ![“When we spread our name by scattering it into many mouths we call that ‘increasing our renown’; we wish our name to be favourably received there and that it may gain from such an increase. That is what is most pardonable in such a design. But carried to excess this malady makes many seek to be on…” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/michel-de-montaigne-142_famous_when-we-spread-our-name-by-scattering-it_2133804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/michel-de-montaigne-142_famous_when-we-spread-our-name-by-scattering-it_2133804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/michel-de-montaigne-142_famous_when-we-spread-our-name-by-scattering-it_2133804.jpg) > ““When we spread our name by scattering it into many mouths we call that ‘increasing our renown’; we wish our name to be favourably received there and that it may gain from such an increase. That is what is most pardonable in such a design. But carried to excess this malady makes many seek to be on others’ lips, no matter how. Trogus Pompeius says of Herostratus, and Livy says of Manlius, that they were more desirous of a wide reputation than a good one.42 That is a common vice. We are more concerned that men should talk of us than of how they talk of us; and we are far more concerned that our name should run from mouth to mouth than under what circumstances it should do so.”” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The desire for fame drives people to seek attention regardless of the quality of their reputation, often valuing widespread name over moral integrity. **In simple terms:** People chase fame more than goodness. Key Takeaway Prioritize character over reputation. Themes fame reputation vanity social validation integrity Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical ethical observational When to use this quote - political ambition - social media presence - celebrity culture - marketing campaigns Key Concepts ego social psychology ethical conduct Questions to Reflect On - Do you value how you are known or what you are known for? - How does social media amplify this vice? A Different Perspective Excessive focus on name can lead to superficial relationships and loss of authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous/) [Increasing Renown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increasing-renown-4410237/) [Livy Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/livy-says-4410239/) [Mouths Increasing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouths-increasing-4410240/) [Reputation Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation-good-1132799/) [Says Manlius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-manlius-4410238/) ## Related quotes > [It took time to really build myself a reputation as a good live performer, a musician and an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-goulding/it-took-time-to-really-build-myself-a-reputation-as-a-good-live/) [Ellie Goulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-goulding/) > [Partly, I like a bad reputation. But I also want a reputation of being a good person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/partly-i-like-a-bad-reputation-but-i-also-want-a-reputation-of-being/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [A reputation for good judgment, for fair dealing, for truth, and for rectitude, is itself a fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-reputation-for-good-judgment-for-fair-dealing-for-truth-and-for/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [What good is a reputation not put to good use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/what-good-is-a-reputation-not-put-to-good-use/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [No man can understand why a woman shouldn't prefer a good reputation to a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/no-man-can-understand-why-a-woman-shouldn-t-prefer-a-good-reputation/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [“Conversely, if you gain a reputation for being too good, too skilled . . . beware. The better art will be in their heads, and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/conversely-if-you-gain-a-reputation-for-being-too-good-too-skilled/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Someone who gossips well has a reputation for being good company or even a wit, never for being a gossip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kronenberger/someone-who-gossips-well-has-a-reputation-for-being-good-company-or/) [Louis Kronenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kronenberger/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [I love mi haters they make me famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chabrina/i-love-mi-haters-they-make-me-famous/) [Chabrina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chabrina/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [I think the most famous person I've ever met is Brad Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-most-famous-person-i-ve-ever-met-is-brad-pitt/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Famous quotes > [I think the most famous person I've ever met is Brad Pitt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-most-famous-person-i-ve-ever-met-is-brad-pitt/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [I love mi haters they make me famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chabrina/i-love-mi-haters-they-make-me-famous/) [Chabrina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chabrina/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I was fascinated by the story of FW Murnau, one of the most famous directors in Germany, where I come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/udo-kier/i-was-fascinated-by-the-story-of-fw-murnau-one-of-the-most-famous/) [Udo Kier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/udo-kier/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [The caricature of science is that we hold tight to the theories we have, and shun challenges to them. That's just not true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [“The human eye is restricted to see the useen, because there’s a price to be paid to the rulers of this image and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-human-eye-is-restricted-to-see-the-useen-because-there-s-a-price/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [It amazes me when I hear people say, 'I want to go out and find out who I am.' I always knew who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/it-amazes-me-when-i-hear-people-say-i-want-to-go-out-and-find-out-who/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) [Browse all 2,822 Famous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When we spread our name by scattering it into many mouths we call that ‘increasing our renown’; we wish our name to be favourably received there and that it may gain from such an increase. That is what is most pardonable in such a design. But carried to excess this malady makes many seek to be on others’ lips, no matter how. Trogus Pompeius says of Herostratus, and Livy says of Manlius, that they were more desirous of a wide reputation than a good one.42 That is a common vice. 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