Business Quote by Oscar Wilde
“It is very vulgar to talk about one's own business. Only people like stockbrokers do that, and then only at dinner parties.”
About This Quote
Wilde mocks the social acceptability of self‑promotion, noting that only self‑interested professions seem permitted to discuss personal affairs publicly.
In simple terms: Self‑promotion is seen as vulgar, except for certain trades.
Key Takeaway
Social norms dictate modesty, but hypocrisy exists.
Themes
social etiquette
humor
hypocrisy
Mood
satirical
witty
Type
maxim
social satire
When to use this quote
- Networking events where people brag
- Corporate culture rewarding personal branding
Key Concepts
self‑presentation
class perception
Practical Applications
- Encourage authentic conversation over self‑praise
Questions to Reflect On
- When is self‑promotion appropriate?
- How do we differentiate confidence from vulgarity?
A Different Perspective
Some contexts (e.g., entrepreneurship) value self‑promotion for visibility.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)