--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It feels instinctively that manners are…" description: "\"“It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance than morals,”\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-feels-instinctively-that-manners-are_512535.jpg" --- # It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance… ![“It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance than morals,” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-feels-instinctively-that-manners-are_512535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-feels-instinctively-that-manners-are_512535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/oscar-wilde-16_character_it-feels-instinctively-that-manners-are_512535.jpg) > ““It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance than morals,”” [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. Manners often mask moral neglect, emphasizing appearance over integrity. **In simple terms:** Politeness can hide lack of morals. Key Takeaway Value integrity over etiquette. Themes ethics social behavior appearance Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical observational When to use this quote - business meetings - social gatherings - online interactions - diplomacy Key Concepts moral philosophy social norms Questions to Reflect On - Are you more concerned with how you act or how you appear? - Can politeness coexist with strong morals? A Different Perspective Manners can be genuine, not merely a cover. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [Morals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morals/) ## Related quotes > [Society, civilized society at least, is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/society-civilized-society-at-least-is-never-very-ready-to-believe-3/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Society--civilized society, at least--is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating. It feels instinctively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/society-civilized-society-at-least-is-never-very-ready-to-believe/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Manners are of more importance than laws... Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/manners-are-of-more-importance-than-laws-manners-are-what-vex-or/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [There are somethings that money just cannot buy. like manners, morals and integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-somethings-that-money-just-cannot-buy-like-manners-morals/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Golf is a game not just of manners but of morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/golf-is-a-game-not-just-of-manners-but-of-morals/) [Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) > [A man who pretends to understand women is bad manners. For him to really to understand them is bad morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/a-man-who-pretends-to-understand-women-is-bad-manners-for-him-to/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Good manners can replace morals. It may be years before anyone knows if what you are doing is right. But if what you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/good-manners-can-replace-morals-it-may-be-years-before-anyone-knows/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Good manners are a part of good morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/good-manners-are-a-part-of-good-morals/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/respect-for-ourselves-guides-our-morals-respect-for-others-guides-our/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Morals refine manners, as manners refine morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/morals-refine-manners-as-manners-refine-morals/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [There are some things that money cant buy¦like manners, morals and integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/there-are-some-things-that-money-cant-buy-like-manners-morals-and/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [I think that - apart from the fields of science and medicine - we live in an age of decline. Look at the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/i-think-that-apart-from-the-fields-of-science-and-medicine-we-live-in/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [“Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-t-bennett/top-15-things-money-can-t-buy-time-happiness-inner-peace-integrity/) [Roy T. Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-t-bennett/) > [“is not good for one's morals to see bad acting. Besides,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/is-not-good-for-one-s-morals-to-see-bad-acting-besides/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [It is not good for one's morals to see bad acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-not-good-for-one-s-morals-to-see-bad-acting/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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