--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets…" description: "\"Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure, and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg" --- # Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure, and… ![“Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure, and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg) > “Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure, and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pleasure is a natural human desire; only those lacking culture recognize it. **In simple terms:** People enjoy pleasure. Key Takeaway Embrace pleasure responsibly. Themes pleasure civilization culture Mood witty playful Type literary humorous When to use this quote - social gatherings - artistic pursuits - personal leisure Key Concepts ethics human nature social norms Questions to Reflect On - What pleasures enrich your life? - When does pleasure become a vice? A Different Perspective Excessive indulgence can cause harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [“The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-more-uncivilized-the-man-the-surer-he-is-that-he-knows-precisely/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“He knows solitude. He knows its pleasure and its power. He knows it is a home you can occupy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-willis/he-knows-solitude-he-knows-its-pleasure-and-its-power-he-knows-it-is/) [Deborah Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-willis/) > [One of my regrets would be that I will never again have the pleasure of sneaking into a cafe, any cafe I like, sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/one-of-my-regrets-would-be-that-i-will-never-again-have-the-pleasure/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [“Oh baby...I'm going to teach you how good it's going to feel to be fucked into submission by an uncivilized man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sawyer-bennett/oh-baby-i-m-going-to-teach-you-how-good-it-s-going-to-feel-to-be/) [Sawyer Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sawyer-bennett/) > [“Taboos, though unadmitted, are potent. What is it that people fear? What they don't understand. The civilized man is not a whit different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/taboos-though-unadmitted-are-potent-what-is-it-that-people-fear-what/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The civilized man is distinguished from the savage mainly by prudence, or, to use a slightly wider term, forethought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-civilized-man-is-distinguished-from-the-savage-mainly-by-prudence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For works of the mind really great there is no old age, no decrepitude. It is inconceivable that a time should come when Homer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/for-works-of-the-mind-really-great-there-is-no-old-age-no-decrepitude/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [I expect Woman will be the last thing civilized by Man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/i-expect-woman-will-be-the-last-thing-civilized-by-man/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [One of the greatest myths of all time is that so-called civilized man is no longer an animal, and for that reason can strive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/one-of-the-greatest-myths-of-all-time-is-that-so-called-civilized-man/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [The mark of a truly civilized man is confidence in the strength and security derived from the inquiring mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/the-mark-of-a-truly-civilized-man-is-confidence-in-the-strength-and/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [Goverment is actually the worst failure of civilized man. There has never been a really good one, and even those that are the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/goverment-is-actually-the-worst-failure-of-civilized-man-there-has/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Is it possible that nobody has ever known that there never has been a completely civilized man, and won't be for another thousand years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/is-it-possible-that-nobody-has-ever-known-that-there-never-has-been-a/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“A conservative is not merely an obstructionist who wishes to resist the introduction of novelties; nor is he, as was assumed by most 19th-century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/a-conservative-is-not-merely-an-obstructionist-who-wishes-to-resist/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [I have found the missing link between the higher ape and civilized man; it is we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/i-have-found-the-missing-link-between-the-higher-ape-and-civilized/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure, and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets-a-pleasure-and-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets-a-pleasure-and-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/oscar-wilde-16_believe_believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets_1431484.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Believe me, no civilized man ever regrets a pleasure, and no uncivilized man ever knows what a pleasure is.” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Believe me, no civilized man ever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets-a-pleasure-and-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/believe-me-no-civilized-man-ever-regrets-a-pleasure-and-no/#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 } } ] } ```